Shalom
by Ritu
Summary: Natsume's parents take in a girl, Mikan, who can't speak. Even though he is 6 years older than her, they become best friends. After a tragedy all they have left is each other. Will they make it in a world where no one is what they seem? T for Language.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclamer:** I do not own Gakuen alice or any of its characters.

**Author Note: **This is a story whose idea I came up with a long time ago but never wrote. I just remembered it suddenly, so here it is.

**Read and Review!**

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"Natsume, a new cafe opened near by. Will you come with me?" Sumire asked in her most sweet voice.

"Not today, I have to get home early." He replied nonchalantly.

"That's just your excuse for going to the arcade with Ruka." She pouted.

Ruka raised an eyebrow at that, but it was Natsume who answered. "Sumire, I said I have to go home early today." his tone was icy.

Sumire actually moved a bit away from him. "Ummm okay sure. We'll try out that cafe some other time." and with that she positively fled away from them.

Ruka gave a dry chuckle, then turned to Natsume. "Why do you let her act as if she is your girlfriend? You really don't care about her and we both know it." he asked his tone light.

"She annoys you?" Natsume asked.

"Well.. can you blame me? Her voice itself makes me shudder." Ruka replied, finally letting his true feelings on the matter show.

Natsume gave a low laugh. "I keep her around coz she makes sure all the other fan girls stay away. Heck, she even keeps your fans away coz she is so damned jealous. You have to admit, having her around is a small compromise by comparison."

Ruka sighed. He had suspected it would be something like this. "I guess so. Anyways, why are you going home early today?"

"My parents have now become guardians to a 10 year old. She is coming today. I need to be there." Natsume replied.

"They are adopting a kid sister for you?" Ruka asked, sounding amused.

"Not really. They are not adopting her, they'll just be her guardians. She is the daughter of a friend of theirs who just passed away. I'm told it was an accident but she saw it happen and hasn't spoken since. Poor kid, so I figured the least I could do was stay at home to welcome her."Natsume said in a quiet voice.

Ruka looked at him surprised. "Poor kid indeed. Well, I hope she feels better after moving here. Will she be coming to our school?"

"I think so. Mom seemed really happy that I am in an escalator school, so I can take care of her even though I'm in high school and she will be in elementary. Hence I probably will be babysitting even when I am here." Natsume said in a long suffering voice.

"Quit whining. You are happy at the thought aren't you?" Ruka said punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"Well it will be a good excuse to get rid of Sumire." Natsume said with a chuckle. Ruka laughed at his best friend. He was the most popular boy in school and everyone thought of him as stoic and cool. Ruka was the only one around whom Natsume let his real personality come to the surface. Ruka wondered how now having to take care of a child would affect him.

* * *

Natsume was staring in surprise at the little girl who was sitting across from him. She was so.. tiny. _Was I this small when I was 10? _the 16 year old wondered.

"Mikan did you like your new room?" Mrs. Hyugga asked.

Mikan nodded. Natsume leaned back in his chair. The girl had not spoken a single word since she had come, which had been over two hours ago. He had been told that her voice was gone, but some how it hit him hard now that he had her in front of him.

A few more hours passed by, with her saying nothing. They had had supper, and then Mrs. Huygga tucked Mikan in for the night.

When she came out, she sighed as she sat next to Natsume. "I was going to tell her to call me Kimiko or Aunty, but I guess it really does not matter huh?"

"It's fine mom. I'm sure her voice will come back eventually, so you should tell her that anyways." Natsume answered.

"I really do hope so." She sighed again, as she got up. "I'm exhausted, so I'm heading to bed. Your dad is already asleep I'm sure, but that does not mean that you can pull an all nighter. Don't stay up too late." Then she proceeded to give him a good night kiss.

Natsume waited until her bedroom door was closed and then went straight to the computer in the study. He could have used his laptop but he preferred gaming on the bigger screen. After playing for two straight hours, he finally decided that it was time for him to go to bed as well. Just as he was about to enter his room though, he heard quiet sobbing. He peeked into the room to see the little girl curled up into a ball, crying softly. Natsume knew that he should get his mother, what did he know about kids, but somehow he could not leave this kid alone.

He quickly went and got a pad and a pencil and then knocked softly on her door. Just as he had expected the sobbing stopped immediately. The girl sat up, and waved at him to enter. He sat down on the bed next to her, and turned on the bedside lamp. She furiously wiped away her tears. Natsume smiled, she was definitely proud and brave. Good.

"Here, you never did introduce yourself to me. So lets start again, I'm Natsume. And you are?" he asked in his most gentle voice, as he handed her the pad and pencil. She took it from him and wrote her name.

"Hello, I'm Mikan Sakura. Nice to meet you." She wrote and then gave him a small smile.

Natsume smiled back. "Okay Mikan, now that we know each other, do you think we can be friends?" he asked.

She nodded. "Okay, then will you do me a favor?" he asked.

She nodded again. "I cannot sleep, so I was hoping you'll help me pass the time. How about I tell you some of the things I did with a friend of mine in school? That way you will also know what your new school will be like? I promise that all the stories I tell will be from when I was 12 or younger."

"I'm 10." she wrote on the pad.

"I know. But I used to have classes in that building till I was 12." Natsume replied.

She gave him another nod then. Natsume leaned back on the bed while Mikan curled up besides him. She looked like a cat curled under the covers. He chuckled softly, and then proceeded to tell her about every nasty prank Ruka and him had ever played in elementary school. Soon he had her laughing. By the time he was telling her about the 6th prank, she had fallen asleep. Natsume turned off the lamp, and put away the pad and pencil. He was about to get up when he realized she was holding onto him. He moved back, deciding to wait till she was asleep more soundly to leave so that he did not wake her up. He had no idea when he fell asleep.

* * *

Mrs. Hyugga went to wake up Natsume the next morning, to find him gone. She scowled, her son was not an early riser, especially on a Saturday. Not to mention the bed was made too. She turned away in disgust, knowing that she would find him in the den, either still playing games or asleep in the chair. She decided to check on Mikan before she yelled at him though.

* * *

"Wake up!" Kimiko Hyugga shook her husband awake.

"Wha?" he asked sleepily.

"You have to see this." Then she proceeded to literally drag him out of bed. She grabbed a camera on her way out the room.

Shou Hyugga stood there stunned at the sight before him. Then a broad smile lit his face. "Kimiko, it seemed we were worrying for no reason. Seems like he has it all under control."

"I agree. Natsume has made me very proud today." she said happily as she took a picture of the two sleeping kids. Then she handed the camera to her husband and went on to cover Natsume with a blanket since he was sleeping on top of the covers. Mikan was curled up besides him, holding his hand. Even though there were obvious tear marks on her face, she was smiling while she slept.

"They look so sweet." She said dreamily, as they stepped out of the room and closed it behind them.

"I know. I had no idea my son had even one sweet bone in his body." Shou chuckled. Kimiko smacked him, but he only laughed more as he went back to their room, undoubtedly heading straight back to bed.

Shaking her head at him, she went to make preparations for brunch. Today she would let the kids sleep in.

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**Author Note: Hello everyone. This here is the first chapter of my new story. I hope you guys liked it. Any suggestions of any sort, even ones related as to where you would like to see this story go, do let me know.**

**One thing though, no matter what, Mikan is not Natsume's sister. If you think that their bond is too brotherly, do lemme know right now, and I'll change the name to Tsubasa but I cannot write a story in which those two are brother and sister. They might not be in love, but making them related would kill all possibilities of it and I don't like that.**

**Thanks a lot for reading! DO REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclamer:**** I do not own Gakuen alice or any of its characters.**

**Thanks a lot ****for reviewing :)**

**zai-zai**

**Xxdarkness-angelxX  
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***~*~*Read and Review!*~*~***

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"Mikan, Natsume, hurry up!" Kimiko Hyugga called.

"Mom, its no hurry. We'll get there in time." Natsume replied calmly, as he came out of his room.

"You really expect me to believe that?" she asked testily.

Mikan who had just come outside of her room, went up to her, and showed Kimiko her writing pad. To Natsume's surprise his mother burst out laughing.

"Mikan, you know you can just nod right? Rather than actually writing 'nod-nod'?" she asked still chuckling.

Mikan bobbed her head twice then hurried off to have breakfast. Shou (Natsume's dad) who had seen the whole thing chuckled, as he too joined them for breakfast.

"Mom, we'll be late coming home today. I have archery practice." Natsume told her.

"Why 'we'? I'll pick Mikan up after school." Kimiko answered.

Mikan shook her head vehemently. "Oh c'mon Mikan-chan... why do you like being around this brat so much?" she asked pouting.

"Coz i don't act like a child?" Natsume asked innocently.

"Why you..." Kimiko smacked him. Then she sighed. "Fine you two can be late, but make sure she eats something Natsume."

"Yes, ma'am." Natsume saluted her, and then he left for school with Mikan right behind him.

* * *

Natsume was bored. Bored with a capital B. All he wanted to do was sleep, since he had played games online till 2 am last night with Ruka. He had no clue how Ruka managed to look so damned normal even though he was just as sleep deprived as him.

He leaned back and his chair and had just closed his eyes, when Sumire's shrill voice rang out in the room. "Natsume!"

He cracked one eye open to see what the hell was going on now. Ruka smirked at him. That made him open both his eyes; if Ruka was amused, this could not be good for him. Not one bit. Before he had even straightened, Sumire was there.

"Natsume darling, I've missed you so much!" She said in a honey coated high pitched voice. Natsume felt as if someone was scratching the blackboard with nails near his ear.

"Didn't you see me just yesterday?" he asked coldly.

"Yeah, but you are always busy taking care of that kid. Or you're with Ruka. Its been so long since we did anything, just the two of us." she said pouting.

Natsume wondered if he had ever done anything, just Sumire and him. He suppressed a shudder with some difficulty, and looked at Ruka for some help. His so called best friend though still had that smirk on his face, and Natsume knew that the bastard was too entertained to actually help.

Suddenly inspiration came. "I have club practice today, so its a no go." he said quickly.

"That's okay, I'll wait." Sumire said with a bright smile.

Natsume thought she looked creepy, but he decided to keep his opinion to himself. "That won't work. Mikan is staying back to watch so I have to head home straight after."

Sumire's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What's it with you? Who keeps an 10 year old brat around all the time? She is just something your parents took pity on. Why can't you just get rid of her?" she shrieked. Though Sumire hadn't realized it, she had just crossed the line. Ruka's smirk had vanished, and he looked mad as hell. Natsume on the other hand had become completely expressionless, but Ruka knew that he was even more angry than him. Everyone else but Sumire had the intelligence to quickly get out of the way of the two friends.

"We're over." Natsume said with so much venom that Sumire actually staggered back.

"What the hell? You can't just dump me like that!" she snapped.

"Watch me." Natsume snapped back, but before he could say anything more, his eyes focussed on the small figure standing near the classroom door. Her face was white as a sheet, and tears were swimming in her brown eyes.

Natsume swore. As he started towards her, Mikan turned and ran. When Sumire tried to go after Natsume, Ruka grabbed her arm and pushed her back into the classroom.

"You've done more than enough damage. Say anything about Mikan again, and you'll find out just how nasty I can be." Ruka said in a very dangerous voice. Then he turned on his heel and went to find his best friend. Everyone in the class watched him leave in amazement. They had never seen Ruka mad before, but it seemed he could be as scary as Natsume when he wanted to be.

Before he found Natsume, Ruka managed to find Mikan. She was sitting under a staircase, hugging her knees.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked her. She looked up, and Ruka's temper flared again at seeing the tear marks on her face but he held it in check. When she gave him a small nod, Ruka sat down next to her. "You do know that Natsume is looking everywhere for you, right?" he asked in a soft voice.

Mikan just nodded. Ruka sighed. "Mikan, come with me. You matter to him a lot, and the fact that you are hurt, is hurting him too. If he sees you he'll feel better."

Mikan looked at him with wide incredulous eyes. Ruka smiled slightly. In the past 7 months that Mikan had been here, he had gotten almost as good as Natsume at guessing what she wanted to say. "Yes, you matter to him far more than Shouda ever did. He was just dating her so that she would keep the fan girls away. Believe me he's probably happy at being finally rid of her."

"There you are." said a cool voice. Both Mikan and Ruka looked up to see Natsume leaning in, and looking at them with suspicious eyes. His eyes narrowed when he noticed the tear tracks on her face. Then to Mikan's absolute surprise, he pulled her up and hugged her.

"Stupid girl." he scolded her even as he held her close. When he finally moved away, he gazed at her with a strange expression. "Don't you ever run away again. No matter what anyone else says, you are very important to me, and I would hate it if you left me. Understand?" he said sternly.

Mikan gave him a nod and then hugged him. Natsume smiled gently, and patted her head. Then his eyes met those of Ruka, who had just gotten out from Mikan's hiding spot. Without saying a word, they both knew what would happen next, and what they had to do about it.

* * *

Natsume sat there discussing his plans with Ruka in a low voice. Mikan was playing Viva Pinata on the XBOX 360 console in Ruka's room, while these two sat a bit away on the couch making preparations.

Now that Sumire was gone, there were going to be constant attacks by fangirls. Their planning involved getting rid of the fans, finding good escape routes, and also finding good places to hide. This stuff was old news to them since they had been doing it for years now, but there was a new twist to it now. They had to make sure that Mikan stayed safe. The fan girls might grab her to get them to come out. Also Sumire would probably be looking for revenge. So now they were calculating Mikan in their plans. Luckily for them, Mikan was pretty good at getting out of trouble. They knew that if they taught her all that they knew about the school and showed her the hiding places, she would be safe. Heck she might even prove to be a great help.

But the planning was still very important. Also it had been too long since they had done anything, so they were also planning a series of pranks on the school. No point in making it easy for the fan girls to attack them. Whenever they went on a prank spree, everyone in the school tended to avoid them, (everyone with a brain that is) since they might do anything at any moment.

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Mikan hid in the cabinet under an ancient grandfather clock in the main hall of the elementary building. She watched amused as a whole horde of girls ran by. They were looking for her, but she did not find it scary at all. After all if they did actually catch her, Natsume or Ruka would save her. She stopped herself from giggling with an effort. She liked this new game that had started in school.

* * *

Natsume sat on the roof, looking around the campus with calculating eyes. He knew where Mikan was right now. She had a tracker on her at all times. His eyes focussed on the window of the teacher's washroom on the second floor of the middle school. As he watched a shrill scream rent the air. Natsume smirked. As he watched, all the middle school kids ran out into the grounds. Water poured out of the building behind them. The entire building had just flooded, and the water actually had rubber snakes in it, which was what was causing all the panic. Chuckling, he got up and left. Mission accomplished.

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Ruka watched all the commotion outside the middle school division with a smirk. Natsume was good, but he was better.

He watched from the fourth floor balcony of the high school division as suddenly there was a huge explosion in the administration building. He grinned as he saw that it had worked perfectly; all of the building was now covered in sticky green goo. As he watched, people came out of the building to see what was going on, and found themselves slipping in the slime. Ruka laughed and left his viewing spot to find Natsume. Mission accomplished.

_The fun was just starting._

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**Author Note: so how is this? I hope none of you are too confused by the name change. I learnt of this word from someone I met on my flight. Sweetest lady ever. Its a good word, and definitely worth using as a title even though it has nothing to do with the story :) **

**Read and Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclamer:**** I do not own Gakuen alice or any of its characters.**

**Author Note: Think of Mikan here as if she sticks to Natsume kinda like Youichi does, except they are older. Also the writing pad thing is a bit like Megumi Yamamoto from Special A. But Mikan is overall very timid and only acts like herself in front of Ruka and Natsume.  
**

**Thanks a lot ****for reviewing :)**

**.Spazz** - just have some patience :) it'll be there eventually.

**th1rd3ye** - Thanks a lot! I am so glad u like it :)

**neverperfect1997** - Yup the pranks are fun! Natsume has to be ooc coz here Mikan is a bit more like Youichi than herself.

**AvengedRomantic** - Thanks, once i looked it up a bit more, i too concur that it does make for a really good title. We'll find out abt MIkan's parents eventually. But it'll be quite a bit later in the story.

***~*~*Read and Review!*~*~***

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Natsume was sleeping with manga covering his face. Mikan sat next to him reading Fruits Basket. She looked up when Ruka tapped her on the shoulder.

"Mikan, hide." He said quickly. Mikan ducked under the table, and stayed there.

As soon as Mikan had ducked, around 50 girls had shown up near the classroom, trying to fight each other to get in. Natsume took the manga off his face, and his eyes met those of Ruka. A nod was all the indication that Ruka needed to give Natsume that Mikan was fine.

Then Natsume straightened, and before anyone could notice, flicked his wrist to throw something into the corridor. Both him and Ruka ducked. There was a loud bang outside the classroom and smoke that smelled like rotten eggs filled the entire place. Natsume, Mikan and Ruka quickly moved to the window on their hands and knees. Natsume jumped out first. Then Mikan jumped, and Natsume caught her on the other side (they were jumping out from the first floor after all). The third one out was Ruka. Once outside, the three of them quickly took off.

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Ruka sighed. "This is getting annoying. We need to do something to get rid of the fans for a while. These tricks get rid of them for only a few hrs." he said unhappily.

Natsume nodded. Mikan showed Ruka her writing pad, and he chuckled. It said "nod-nod".

"Do you have any ideas?" Ruka asked Natsume.

"Not really. Not yet anyways." he replied.

"Oh well, we'll come up with something soon. Its not like we'll be seeing them again today." Ruka shrugged. They had left school grounds after throwing the smoke bomb. Now they were in a secluded area of a park near the school.

Mikan tugged on Natsume's sleeve. He looked at her with raised eyebrows, but she was already scribbling on her pad.

Both Ruka and Natsume leaned over her shoulders to see what she was writing. They exchanged surprised looks as they got an idea of what she was thinking. Then they both grinned as the plan started to take form. _They were teaching Mikan well._

_

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Ruka sat on the school roof, serenely gazing into the distance. Except for Natsume no one would ever realize that he was was plotting something. He cocked his head to the side as he finally heard the sound he had been waiting for. Suddenly the peaceful place was filled with screams of the over excited fan girls as they finally found him. Ruka stood up and calmly turned to face them. He gave them a dazzling smile and they all had hearts in their eyes. He also noticed that some of them had rope. It seemed that the plan was to capture him. _As if. _He almost chuckled. Almost. Then before any of them could do anything, he turned around and jumped off the roof.

The girls screamed as they ran forward as one to see if he was okay. They never saw him vault onto the balcony a floor below and slip inside the study room there. Then one of them heard a small click. "What was tha..." she never managed to finish the sentence.

BOOM!

The whole building shook.

The entire roof was covered in blue paint and so were all the girls there. One floor below, Ruka laughed evilly. "Mission accomplished." He stood to the side behind a door as all the blue girls (insert smirk here) ran past him. Once all were gone, he flicked out his phone and sent a text. Then still smirking he left the building using a different route than the distraught girls.

* * *

In another part of the school Natsume grinned evilly when he heard the repercussions of Ruka's move. "My turn." he smirked.

He went to the tennis court which was next to the high school division and started practicing against the wall. After a while, he removed his jacket. He ignored the screams of the gathering fan girls as he then took off his necktie. Natsume kept practicing for nearly an hour more. More and more girls showed up, circling the entire court. He stayed expressionless, even as he unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt, and the girls screamed and many fainted. He totally ignored them as he kept playing for another 10 minutes or so. Then suddenly he stopped, grabbed his jacket and strode off. The girls were so shocked that they parted to let him pass.

Natsume counted mentally.. 10.. 9 .. 8.. 7.. 6... They realized that he had left his necktie behind... 5.. 4.. They all surged forward to grab it... 3.. 2.. 1.

"Boom" Natsume whispered.

BOOM!

The whole school shook with the impact. For one moment there was absolute silence, and then the girls started screaming. Natsume was already far away from the place, chuckling silently. He had left behind a large group of girls completely drenched in red paint.

"Mission accomplished." Still chuckling he flicked out his phone and sent a text.

* * *

Mikan checked her phone, and then wrote down the number Natsume had just texted her on the last page of her writing pad. _She was the scorekeeper in this game after all._

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**Author Note: so how is this? **

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	4. Chapter 4

**Disclamer:**** I do not own Gakuen alice or any of its characters.**

**Author Note: Think of Mikan here as if she sticks to Natsume kinda like Youichi does, except they are older. Also the writing pad thing is a bit like Megumi Yamamoto from Special A. But Mikan is overall very timid and only acts like herself in front of Ruka and Natsume.  
**

**Thanks a lot ****for reviewing:**

**Animechicki**

**The Violent Spazz**

**neverperfect1997**

**manga-girl-freak **

**kittycloud**

**Tear Droplet**

**Lydiacatfish  
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***~*~*Read and Review!*~*~***

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"I am so going to own you." Ruka crowed.

Natsume raised an eyebrow. It galled him to admit that so far Ruka was actually ahead of him in the game, but that did not mean that he would win. Tomorrow was friday and so the last day of the game. By now the news that they were targeting their fans had spread, but since their ways of getting the fan girls to show up had become more extravagant, they came anyways. It seemed that seeing Ruka and Natsume was worth getting drenched in paint to them.

_What fan would not come when the two of them were swimming in an open air pool? _

Well, lets just say that no one was able to swim there for the next month, and leave it at that.

* * *

When Mikan tallied the score on Friday night, to all their surprise it was a DRAW!

Both Ruka and Natsume groaned. Mikan giggled at them.

"Why you little.." Natsume said as he grabbed her and started tickling her.

Ruka looked at them and smiled. He had no idea when was the last time he had seen Natsume enjoy himself so much.

They kept fooling around till late in the night, since Ruka was staying at Natsume's place.

When they finally fell asleep, it was all three of them sleeping on the futon that had been placed there for Ruka. Well in reality, both Ruka and Natsume were half on the floor while Mikan slept peacefully in the center.

Next morning, a very amused Mrs. Hyugga took another picture. She had no clue how it had happened, but it seemed to her that now Natsume and even to some extent Ruka needed Mikan as much Mikan needed them.

* * *

"Take care while we're gone, ok? And this place had better not look like a disaster area when I get back." Mrs. Hyugga warned her son and his best friend. They both nodded meekly. That just made her worry more.

"Don't worry Kimiko, they'll be fine. They might not have been ok if they were alone, but since they are taking care of Mikan, they'll not go over board. Right boys?" Mrs. Nogi said in a calm voice. Ruka almost shivered. No matter how soothing that may have been to anyone else, he knew that if there was a mess when they got back from their trip, he'd be dead. His mom was not forgiving.

This time the meek nod was actually truthful.

"See you guys later!" Their parents called as they left for their much awaited vacation. Mikan waved till the car was out of sight, the boys standing on either side of her.

Natsume and Ruka looked at each other, and inspite of the threats a slow smile spread on both their faces. Mikan giggled on seeing their identical expressions. It was going to be a video game marathon!

* * *

It had been five days since their parents had left for a skiing vacation in the Alps. In that time, they had played video games till they dropped from exhaustion, eaten out for almost every meal (well ordered in actually) and loved every moment of it. Now all three were lazing about on different couches, watching a horror movie.

The phone rang. All three of them jumped, then the boys chuckled while Mikan giggled.

Ruka grabbed the phone and answered, "Hello." He was smiling since this was the usual time for their parents to call.

"Hello, is this Hyugga residence?" A man asked in a very thick accent.

"Yes. How can I help you?" he asked.

"Who is this? and are you alone?" the man asked.

Ruka raised an eyebrow and almost laughed. "Ruka Nogi and no I am not. Why do you wanna know?"

"I am sorry but I have bad news." Ruka's face lost all color as he listened to the man as he gave him the news.

As he listened, his eyes met Natsume's, who was looking at him with obvious worry on his face.

Once the man finished, Ruka finally spoke.

"I understand" his voice trembled, "Yes, I'll give the phone to Natsume Hyugga."

Natsume had already sat down besides him on the couch. He took the phone. His eyes widened in horror as he listened to the man.

"It can't be." he whispered through the painful haze that was trying to cloud his mind.

"I am truly sorry. The preparations to send them to you are underway." the man said sincerely.

Natsume sat there numb to the core. "okay" was all he could manage before the man hung up. He raised his eyes and met Ruka's anguished gaze. Slowly tears gathered in both their eyes. Even more slowly they started to fall.

Mikan had run up to them and was now looking from one to the other in obvious panic and worry. Then unable to stand it, she started crying. Without a word, Natsume pulled her close and hugged her. His eyes met Ruka's over her head, and a certain look passed between them. They would always keep that promise they had made.

* * *

**Author Note: sorry for the cliff hanger-ish ending. I should be able to update soon. **

**Read and Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclamer:**** I do not own Gakuen alice or any of its characters.**

**Author Note: Think of Mikan here as if she sticks to Natsume kinda like Youichi does, except they are older. Also the writing pad thing is a bit like Megumi Yamamoto from Special A. But Mikan is overall very timid and only acts like herself in front of Ruka and Natsume.  
**

**Thanks a lot ****for reviewing:**

**Animechicki**

**HyuugaYingLang**

**The Violent Spazz**

**Lydiacatfish **

**anonomous**

**() - there will be NXM. trust me. it'll just take a while. **

***~*~*Read and Review!*~*~***

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_Mikan had run up to them and was now looking from one to the other in obvious panic and worry. Then unable to stand it, she started crying. Without a word, Natsume pulled her close and hugged her. His eyes met Ruka's over her head, and a certain look passed between them. They would always keep that promise they had made._

* * *

Ruka and Natsume stood on either side of Mikan, each holding her hand. She had silent tears flowing down her cheeks, but neither of them was crying. They stood there, silent guardians of the child. Ruka's grief was visible in his eyes, but his face was impassive.

Natsume on the other hand looked almost completely stoic. His face showing nothing of the pain that he was filled with, but his eyes were set on three caskets being lowered into the ground.

Alll three of them watched in silence as Ruka's parents and Natsume's dad were buried.

* * *

Natsume stood there, shaking the hands of all the people who were here to give their condolences. He shook their hands and gave them polite nods. Inside he had no idea what they were saying. He was on automatic, doing what was necessary, even though his mind was completely numb from shock.

Ruka was at his side, with Mikan in his arms. Her eyes were closed and her head rested on Ruka's shoulder.

When everyone had left, Natsume turned to Ruka and took Mikan. She was asleep now. He sighed, she had almost fainted from exhaustion and grief, but then Ruka had picked her up and somehow she had fallen asleep. He gently stroked her hair, but then looked up when he sensed someone watching them.

Hie eyes met those of an man. He was old, but there was no weakness in him at all. He started towards them, but was stopped by another man. He spoke briefly with the blonde man who had stopped him and then giving a nod to Natsume, turned on his heel and left.

The other man approached Natsume. "Hello Natsume. I know this is not a good time, but we need to talk." Then he glanced at Ruka, "All three of us."

Natsume looked at him, trying to understand who this might be, but his mind came up blank. The man on the other hand was already motioning them towards a limo that seemed to be waiting for them. The decision was made when Ruka followed the man. Natsume just followed Ruka.

* * *

To their surprise, the man, who said his name was Narumi Anjo had brought them back to Natsume's house. They were now all seated in the living room, waiting for him to speak.

"I am here on the behalf of your grandfather Natsume. He wants to take you in. Not just you, he wishes to take all three of you in." Narumi said.

"That was the man who was present in the cemetary?" Natsume asked.

"Yes, that was him." Narumi answered.

"Tell him I decline." Natsume said coldly.

"So your mother did tell you everything. I am surprised, I never thought she would tell her child about her past." Narumi mused.

"My mother is not your concern." Natsume snapped. Mikan woke up due to that, and looked around in confusion for a moment, but then her eyes rested on Narumi. Her eyes widened.

"Hello Mikan," he said in a quiet voice, "its been a while since I last saw you."

Mikan hesitatingly waved at him. His expression turned sad. Then he turned back towards Natsume and Ruka. "I dont think you know the whole story or your present predicament. JUst give me one chance to explain, please. I am really trying to help you." he said earnestly.

Natsume finally nodded.

With a sigh of relief, Narumi started talking.

* * *

"Your father is from one of the strongest families in Japan. He was the next in line to be the head of the family. But then he fell in love with Kimiko, but his father would not accept her. That led to a rift and Shou left. Your grandfather, my uncle, wanted to bring him back, no matter the cost. I was one of the few people who knew where Shou was, but I kept my mouth shut. He deserved Kimiko, and I would never stop him. When uncle found out, he gave up on Shou. After all how could he bring him back when the rest of the family was working so hard to help him escape. But he never forgave his son."

Narumi sighed. "Thats how it has been for so many years. But now your father is gone. As much as I cared for my cousin, and even though I helped him, I cannot help you. Toushrou Hyugga is your grandfather, and he wants you back."

There was a long pause, but when Natsume opened his mouth to speak, Narumi waved at him to stop.

"I am not done. I believe that he truly regrets what he did. He will never admit it, but he blames himself. If he had not disinherited Shou, then he might still be alive. Don't hate him. Now he truly wants you back, maybe even to rectify the mistakes he made with your father."

Narumi looked from Mikan to Ruka, then continued, "I can understand why you might not want to come, but think about this. How will the two of you survive? and how will you keep Mikan? Neither of you is a legal adult. Uncle will have her custody, and then he will use her to get to you. OR any other trick he can come up with. Why give him the chance? Let him think that you came of your own free will and he will trust you more."

"Lastly, he went to visit your mother. Thats how I know that he regrets making Shou leave. If she ever wakes up from her coma, she will be a part of the family." Narumi finished.

"How do you know Mikan?" Ruka asked quietly.

"Mikan's father, Azumi was Shou's best friend. He was the one who helped Shou escape in the first place, who convinced him that he could do it. He was disowned for it, but they always kept close watch on him and so he could never come here." Narumi looked at them sadly. "I am sorry that I cannot help you get away if thats what you want, but I can assure you I'll help you in anyway I can after you're there."

"Inspite of all the things you said, its true that Mikan will be taken from me, if I don't do as I am told right?" Natsume said softly.

"Yes." Narumi answered.

"Then there is no choice. We will go with you." Ruka answered for all of them.

* * *

**Author Note: sorry for the cliff hanger-ish ending again. I should be able to update soon. **

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	6. Chapter 6

**Disclamer:**** I do not own Gakuen alice or any of its characters.**

**Author Note: Think of Mikan here as if she sticks to Natsume kinda like Youichi does, except they are older. Also the writing pad thing is a bit like Megumi Yamamoto from Special A. But Mikan is overall very timid and only acts like herself in front of Ruka and Natsume.  
**

**Thanks a lot ****for reviewing:**

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* * *

**

_"Inspite of all the things you said, its true that Mikan will be taken from me, if I don't do as I am told right?" Natsume said softly._

_"Yes." Narumi answered._

_"Then there is no choice. We will go with you." Ruka answered for all of them._

* * *

"I will take you to your rooms." a maid said respectfully to Natsume. It had been a week since the funeral and him, Mikan and Ruka had just arrived with their stuff at the Hyugga mansion. Natsume allowed her to lead them to a side wing of the first floor.

"This is you room, young master." she said to Natsume. "If there is anything you would like changed, just let any of the staff know. The room besides it is for young master Ruka. All your personal belongings have been placed inside already. " she said pointing to another door. Ruka nodded in response.

"If you will come with me, young madam, I will take you to your room. Its on the second floor." The maid said moving towards Mikan.

Mikan hugged Natsume's hand. "No." he said coldly to the maid.

"But young master, a young lady cannot stay.." she started to protest, but Natsume cut her off.

"Mikan's room will be the one across from me." he said calmly.

The maid opened her mouth to protest again, but "I believe you received your instructions." said a cold voice from behind her.

She snapped her mouth shut and looked behind her with something close to fear.

"I would not like to see anyone talking back to them. Is that understood?" Mr. Hyugga said, his voice sending shivers down the maids spine.

"Of course sir. My apologies. I will have the young madam's things moved to her room immediately." and with that she positively fled from there.

Natsume ignored her. He was too busy assessing his grandfather. Toushrou Hyugga gave his grandson an amused look, before he turned to leave.

"I would like to talk to you and Ruka, soon. Come to my study in an hour." he said as he walked away.

* * *

Natsume knocked on the door, and then opened it when he heard the "come in". Ruka entered behind him. Toushrou was sitting in an arm chair next to the fireplace, where a cozy looking fire was burning. He motioned them to sit on the couches that were placed across from him.

Once they were seated, he started. "I think it is only right to formally introduce myself. I am Toushrou Hyugga." he said in a calm voice.

"Natsume Hyugga." Natsume said in response.

"I am Ruka Nogi."

He smiled at that. "Most of what I have to say concerns you Natsume, but it also affects Ruka."

"I truly regret it that I pushed my son so much that he left me and his family. I was wrong. When your mother wakes up from the coma, she will take her place in this family. Just like you will take your place now. Ruka will be treated the exact same way as you, while Mikan will be the young madam of the house." he waited for a response but continued when there was none.

"At the same time, I will start grooming you to take over the family after me, and Ruka to be your second in command. I require absolute perfection. Anything you want is yours as long as all of my demands are met. Am I clear?" he asked.

"Crystal." Natsume replied calmly.

"Good. You both may call me Grandfather. Today you will be instructed by Misaki about all our enterprises. You will still attend high school once break is over, and of course you will excel at whatever you do. At home you will be coached by Misaki, Narumi and myself. Also you will start training in martial arts from next week." then he actually sighed.

"I know I demand too much. I cannot help it. You are the only successor I have and you will be under constant scrutiny. In my world, the weak don't live long." he said in a rare show of honesty.

"Its okay Grandfather." Natsume said softly, as if testing the new word out.

Ruka smiled. "Please don't worry. You'll see soon that this is not something that we cannot handle."

After a very long time, Toushrou Hyugga smiled.

* * *

**Author Note: sorry for the cliff hanger-ish ending again. I should be able to update soon. **

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	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters. The story is all mine though. **

**Hello Everyone! I am so sorry for the really late update. I was in the middle of moving. Trust me, its just not easy to pack and move from one country to another by yourself. Thank God My friends helped. **

**but I am really Really sorry for being this late! Please forgive me. **

**I'd like to thank: **

**z**

**-Fallen-Broken-Winged-Angel**

**The Violent Spazz**

**Sakura Breeze**

**th1rd3ye**

**xxYoungDreamer**

**LilBlueBear**

**For leaving me reviews. Thanks and I hope your patience is worth it!**

**Back to the story. I hope you guys like it. Read and Review! **

* * *

**2 Years Later: **

Natsume stood there, his gaze roaming over the beautiful stucco buildings with slight disdain. He had graduated from this school last month but he had no love for it. It was mostly filled with spoiled rich kids. Of course he did have friends here and they were decent but still, he was majorly annoyed that he was not here to take care of Mikan any more.

Technically Natsume knew that Mikan could take care of herself. He had made sure she could after all, but still how could he not worry about her?

He had not seen her for a week, since he had been on a business trip with Misaki and Ruka, so he had come here straight from the airport. He had 20 more minutes to wait till school was over and Mikan would emerge.

Chitose glanced out of the window and her eyes rested on a tall figure leaning against the gate. He had shoulder length dark hair tied in a ponytail and she knew that if she had been closer then she would have seen a ruby earring in one ear. He was wearing dark jeans and a black shirt. His jacket was slung on his right arm. She knew that probably under the sunglasses, his eyes were trained on the gate. She smiled as she saw the foot tapping in impatience.

Natsume sempai was the same as always.

She nudged Mikan who was sitting next to her, and pointed to him. She smiled again as her friend's face lit up. Mikan had been moping for a week, but the moment she saw Natsume, all of that was gone. Immediately her friend started packing her things. Chitose knew that as soon as the bell rang, Mikan would be out like a bullet.

The bell rang. _Finally, _Natsume thought.

Mikan jumped up, waved bye to Chitose and ran out.

The moment the other girls noticed her behaviour, all of them lunged at the window to get a glimpse of their favourite sempai.

Natsume scowled as he realized that he had been noticed, but then his eyes settled on a familiar figure running towards him. He smiled as Mikan ran straight into his arms and gave him one hell of a hug.

"I take it you missed me?" he asked amused. Mikan looked up and smiled as she gave him a small nod. Then she held out her pad, she had already written "Welcome Home' on it.

"I'm back!" Natsume chuckled and walked her to his car.

Mikan could not help smiling as she sat in the car. He was BACK! She tried her best to not show it but she missed him a lot every time he left.

* * *

Natsume calmly stared down a man twice his size and age. The man squirmed under his steady look and finally looked down. Having put him back in his place, he got back on the matter at hand. He was here sorting out a deal gone bad. Nobody renegaded on Toushrou Hyugga and got away with it.

By the time Natsume was done with them, they were thanking their good fortunes that he had been merciful. Natsume left, wanting to get back as soon as possible.

As he drove home, the same thoughts that had been worrying him for the past month surfaced again. He sighed. Soon he would be starting college in Osaka. That would give him even less time to see her. He scowled. He had also gotten into Tokyo University but Grandfather had wanted Osaka more. Natsume scowled more. That was not true. He had chosen Osaka because Mikan had not seemed to care if he stayed or not. It was childish of him, he knew but still..

He sighed again.

Life was annoying, especially when you are an 18 year old who hangs on the whims of a 12 year old. Natsume chuckled, knowing that if he had said this to Mikan, the first thing she would take offence to was the 12 year old part. her b'day was in a month and she did NOT like being called 12.

Natsume settled his gaze on the road. What was he supposed to do? Everything in his world revolved around Mikan. The problem was, he wasn't sure if that was a good thing, for either of them.

* * *

"I will be going to Osaka." Natsume announced over supper two days later.

Ruka raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Toushrou Hyugga nodded in approval. Mikan said nothing, but just stared down at her suddenly very unappealing food.

"Well then, I will make all the necessary arrangements." Narumi said to fill the suddenly awkward silence.

Natsume nodded in response. Then he spent te rest of dinner swirling his food on his plate. He had no appetite left.

* * *

"What are you thinking?" Ruka snapped at Natsume later that night.

"I am leaving for college?" Natsume asked innocently.

"Do not play that game with me." Ruka said coldly. Natsume almost smiled, realizing how much Ruka sounded like him when he was mad. Almost.

"I am not playing a game. I am trying to give Mikan a chance to learn to live without me. I think she will do fine without me. She seems to be okay. I need to make sure that I will be okay too when she moves on with her life as she should." Natsume said almost bitterly.

"Natsume thats..." Ruka stopped, at a loss for words. "She does not want you to leave."

"I know but that does not mean that she needs me to stay." Natsume countered.

"So thats it? You need to be needed by someone?" Ruka snapped back, unwilling to let the matter drop.

"Well even if thats the case, I am trying to get over it." Natsume answered.

"You said you would always be there." Ruka said softly. Ruka was going to attend college in Norway, he had not wanted to go, but he had grandparents there, and they had begged with him until he relented. Somehow it broke his heart to know that all three of them would be separated. He had thought his home was where Mikan and Natsume were. With this Natsume was taking that away.

Natsume scowled at his best friend. "Always ended yesterday." he said callously, and strode out of the room.

Ruka stood there in stunned disbelief. What had gotten into Natsume? He went through everything that Natsume had said and with a jolt realized the problem. Natsume thought he was suffocating Mikan. He wanted her to grow into her own person, and he was worried that he needed her more than she needed him.

Ruka slumped down on the bed. He knew how much Mikan needed him. But how was he supposed to explain it to his dumb friend? How was he supposed to explain that Mikan had learnt how to be stoic from Natsume? That she tried to be unemotional so that she did not weaken them, since she believed they were doing everything for her.

"What a mess." Ruka said as he started massaging his forehead. He had a headache coming and he knew exactly whose fault it was.

* * *

**Author Note: Okay so i am really sorry for the late update as well as having such a non-happy chapter at the end of the wait. I promise I'll update soon. and it'll be happier than this. **

**Thanks a lot for reading!**

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	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters. The story is all mine though. **

**I'd like to thank:**

**-Fallen-Broken-Winged-Angel - yup, Mikan is 6 yrs younger than Natsume. n Thanks :) **

**MiDniGhtW0lF15 - Thanks :) **

**TheHeideePayas - Thank you :) **

**LilBlueBear - Yay! Thanks :) **

**xxYoungDreamer **

**mai-chan7 **

**Randomaninme456 - Thanks a lot :) see no apologies in this chapter :) **

**z - Thanks so much :) I am glad u liked it and yup its definitely important.**

**vina03 - Thanks!**

**for reviewing my story :) You guys make me enjoy writing even more :) **

**Read and Review!**

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* * *

**"Do you have everything ready?" Narumi asked Natsume as he entered the foyer.

"Yeah, all my stuff is packed in the room." Natsume answered.

"Okay, just checking." Narumi replied.

Ruka stood to the side saying nothing. He had tried everything to convince Natsume to stay but he had decided to be stubborn. Ruka swore under his breath. It did not help that Mikan had been avoiding them like the plague. She always stuck close to Natsume, but ever since he had announced he was leaving, she had kept her distance.

Natsume took that to mean that she would be fine without him. Ruka wanted to strangle someone, preferably Natsume.

Finally everything was ready, and they were leaving. Ruka looked around for Mikan, and saw her enter from the living room. She looked tired but fine. She gave Natsume a cursory hug before they left. Ruka was going to Osaka with him for a week. He planned to come back with Natsume, not just with news that he was settled in.

Narumi got in the driver seat, and Ruka slid in beside him. Grandfather had a meeting this morning and so he had said goodbye last night, as had Misaki, who was accompanying him this morning.

Natsume opened the car door.

* * *

Mikan was standing inside the foyer, her eyes trained on the closed door. This was it. He was gone. Slowly all the shields she had made around her crumbled.

Mikan whimpered and then the tears that she had been holding back started to fall. She had wanted Natsume to stay, but he had already given up so much for her. She could not stop him from even this small bit of freedom. She rubbed her eyes, trying to stop crying. She was not going to be weak. This was what Natsume wanted to do and she would never let him know that she did not like it.

"If you were feeling like this, you could have just told me to stay." Natsume said quietly from behind her.

Mikan whirled around, tears sparkling on her lashes. Natsume opened his arms for her, and without thinking she ran to him. Natsume hugged her back as she held onto him for dear life. He patted her back as she cried and cried some more.

Natsume raised his eyes to see Ruka who had entered through the front door and was giving him a "I told you so" look.

"I am not going anywhere." Natsume told Mikan, and wiped her tears away. Then he picked her up and gave Ruka a shrug as he left for his room. No way was he not spending a long time with her making sure that he took away all the insecurity he had caused in the first place.

Ruka sighed and let everyone know that Natsume would be going to Tokyo University and he would be staying at Hyugga mansion. He sighed and headed up to Natsume's room. He was sure that he would find the other two there, finally happy after all this misery. He was glad that he had made Natsume go in through the side entrance to check on Mikan before he left.

* * *

"Will you really be okay?" Natsume asked Ruka. They were seated in Natsume's room. It was a late and they had been talking for a while. Natsume absently stroked Mikan's hair. She was sleeping next to him, her head resting on a pillow near his knee.

"I'll be fine. My grandmother is Norwegian and she wants me to come study there. She was already terribly distressed that i stayed here rather than with her for the past two years. And anyways, if I don't like it, I can always come back here as an exchange student." Ruka said with a smile.

"I have heard all the logic, but I am still worried about you." Natsume answered.

"I know I know. Just stop okay. As long as you take good care of Mikan, it'll be fine." Ruka clapped him on the shoulder and stood up. "I am going to bed, I do have an early morning flight tomorrow. I promise I'll visit as soon as I can. G'night."

"G'night." Natsume answered Ruka.

Then his eyes settled on the form sleeping next to him. He sighed as he picked her off the couch and carried her to the bed. Usually when she fell asleep in his room (which happened often, especially since after his failed plan to leave for Osaka) he took her to her own room and tucked her in her bed. But today he did not wish to be alone. Even a sleeping child was better than nothing.

Natsume tucked Mikan into his own bed and then lay down on top of the covers next to her. He grabbed the extra blanket he always kept around and covered himself. A sad smile tugged at his lips as he remembered that picture his mom had taken. It hadn't been that long but it seemed as if forever had passed between then and now.

Natsume leaned over and hugged Mikan and then fell asleep still holding her close. In a way she was his only link to a past that was filled with happy memories but seemed so distant now.

* * *

**Author Note: True to my promise, here is the next chapter :) Its as i said, not too long, and not too happy either, but better I guess. I'll keep on updating soon from now on. **

**Thanks a lot for reading! **

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	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters. **

**Hey :) so here is the next chapter. I did not take all that long ;)**

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**Comicworm - Thanks :) **

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* * *

**

Mikan laughed as Chitose told her the antics of the fan girls. It seemed that anyone who had missed seeing Natsume when they were leaving, had gone completely crazy. Mikan shook her head in amazement. Somethings just never change. She wanted to tell Chitose about the game they had played using the fan girls in their previous school, but it would be too much to write.

Then she shrugged and started anyways. She could not miss out on things just because it took longer. She smiled imperceptibly as she saw Ruka's expression as he had pointed this out to her time and again. He talked to her over the webcam almost every night from Norway. Well he talked and she typed, while Natsume made snide remarks.

This time a chuckle did escape Mikan. Chitose gave her a look. Mikan shrugged again and showed her pad. 'I have a good story to tell about the fan girls. Its a bit long though.'

Chitose smiled, "Sure. I can wait."

Mikan smiled back. Natsume worried for no reason. She did have a really good friend.

* * *

Natsume listened calmly as all the details were explained to him. Nothing in his manner let on that he had studied all this before the meeting. When they were done, it took him moments to point out all the flaws that he knew were there. He held back his smirk at the look of surprise on the face of all the old men sitting in the room. They had thought to get their way just because a "kid" was attending instead of the Toushrou Hyugga.

_Yeah right. They should have known the older Hyugga better by now_.

Natsume watched them squirm for a while but then he proposed the changes that would let them save face, and get Natsume a much better deal. He only allowed himself to smile when he was back in the car and on his way home.

He stopped at the hospital before he went home.

* * *

Mikan entered Kimiko Hyugga's room to find Natsume already there. He was sitting quietly, holding his mother's frail hand in his own. He looked up at Mikan and smiled sadly. Mikan smiled back and she knew her smile looked just as broken as his.

They stayed there in companionable silence for a half an hour more and then headed home. Natsume told the driver to go home, while Mikan got a ride in his car. Instead of directly going home, he took her the long way.

Mikan giggled as they drove on her favorite highway, next to the ocean. Natsume smiled as he saw her spirits rise.

"Mikan where do you want to go?" Natsume asked her.

Mikan quickly started typing on her phone and then showed it to him.

"Ramen?" Natsume asked amused, "Sure."

* * *

Mikan smiled happily as she came back home with Natsume. They had spent most of the day together. As they entered the house, their eyes rested on two men who were standing there. Natsume moved in front of Mikan instinctively.

Mikan looked at the two men then at Natsume whose eyes had narrowed at the smirk on the face of one of them. Then to her surprise Natsume took her hand and went upstairs with her, while just giving a polite nod to the men.

"Mikan, don't come downstairs unless I ask you to and if you ever see these two again, hide. Never trust them." Natsume told her when they reached her room. Then he gave her a quick hug and left. Mikan watched him go. She sighed and entered her room. He always exaggerated and he always worried.

* * *

Natsume entered the Conference room with his features carefully blank. Inside, the two men he had seen before were seated at one end of the table while Toushrou was seated at the other end. Narumi was seated with him. Natsume went and stood just behind his grandfather.

The men continued as if there had been no interruption.

"You do understand Mr. Hyugga that this is just good for business. Yours and Ours. So of course we want to collaborate with you. Its just a matter of perspective." the first man said.

"I do understand your point but that does not and will not change my decision. I have stopped working with anyone who does not do all their business legally. Since you do fall in that category, we cannot have an accord. Good Evening Gentlemen. Narumi will show you to the door." Toushrou said calmly.

The second man scowled but the other grabbed his hand before he said or did something stupid.

"We will continue this some other time. I am sure you need to think about this." The first man said as he got up to leave, and with a final glower at them the second man followed.

Natsume dropped into a chair. "What was that all about?" he asked.

"Just people thinking that they can push me." Toushrou shrugged.

Natsume laughed. How could he not? Push his grandfather. _Uh huh. _Like that was gonna happen. He stood up, "Well I know that they are from the mafia, I have seen them before. I am just amazed that they had the guts to actually come to the mansion."

"The clear line between business and crime is not that clear anymore. It is supposed to be even less clear to our family since we have only made the distinction sometime back. After all, before I changed it, we were the same as them. Just make sure to show no weaknesses and do what you believe is right." Toushrou said as he too got up. With a nod and "G'night" he left the room.

Natsume shared a look with Narumi that said holy-did-he-just-give-a-talk-related-to-morals and got a chuckle in response.

"Go sleep Natsume. You must be tired. I'll send you the details of this whole thing tomorrow so you'll be aware if anything happens. In spite of the implied, I don't think anything will. We're too strong and without weakness." Narumi said.

Natsume raised an eyebrow at the choice of words which made it seem like an order, but then decided he really was too tired to care. With a wave he left for his room.

* * *

Natsume lay on the bed. He had been so damn exhausted. He was still exhausted, but he had a feeling that he was missing something. Just a feeling that there was something really obvious that had been overlooked. He cursed, and rolled over. His eyes came to rest on his door just as it opened to reveal Mikan.

Natsume sat up, "Whats.." he started, then noticed her expresion, "C'mere." he said, all his previous worries pushed aside. Mikan came to him, and he pulled her close, and held her there until the shaking subsided.

"Better?" he asked her. Mikan nodded.

Natsume gave her a glass of water to drink from his bedside table. Once she had, he pulled her up completely beside him and tucked her in. He silently patted her hand and shoulder until she fell asleep. Then he too lay back, absently still patting her gently.

_What had he been thinking? Like hell she did not need him. It had been years and she still had nightmares. He could not even make a child who trusted him blindly feel safe. _

Natsume sighed. _No, that wasn't true. She did feel safe with him. He just hadn't been able to take away all the trauma. Somethings took a long time to heal. _

He settled down to sleep. He had forgotten all his previous unease and finally managed to fall into dreamless slumber.

* * *

**Author Note: so how was this? Please do review! **

**Oh and I just read the fic "Like a Concussion" by Araceil, its great, but the best thing is that it introduced me to the song, Love me dead by Ludo. Do listen, its great :) I was listening to that when writing the end of this chapter. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters. This story is all mine though. **

**Author Note: Okay so here is the next chapter. A bit late but I hope I will be forgiven. Its a bit more violent then my usual stuff. Just figured I should warn in advance. **

**Thanks for reviewing: **

**-Fallen-Broken-Winged-Angel- - Thanks and this chappie answers your question. **

**mai-chaan7 - its super cool that someone has the same name as the fic. It has such a good meaning. Your friend is lucky :) **

**cj-the-greatest - Thanks :) **

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"What's wrong Natsume?" Ruka said as way of hello when he answered his phone.

"Why would something have to be wrong?" Natsume asked.

"I know you. This is the first time you are calling me after I came here. Usually you're fine with just talking to me when Mikan does. There is something bothering you. Now spill." Ruka said all that in a deadpan voice.

Natsume sighed.

"Right. Well I just have a bad feeling, like I missed something important. I was hoping you might be able to see it." Natsume said.

"Okay, so what happened?" Ruka asked curious.

Natsume told him everything that happened last night. Right from the moment he had entered the house to find the two men, to when they had left after threatening the Hyugga's.

Ruka whisteled low when he finished. "Wow, they had guts to say that to Granddad." He said.

"Yeah, but that makes me worry more." Natsume replied.

"Natsume, they threatened our family and they saw Mikan before that. Thats the link. If they go after the Hyugga's, they'll go after her." Ruka said coldly.

Natsume scowled. _That made too much sense. Why hadn't he thought of it earlier?_

"You still there?" Ruka asked.

"Yup. I am gonna double her security, and I'll be the one picking her up and dropping her off to school from now on." Natsume said coldly. He was already calculating how better to protect Mikan.

"Make sure she is fine." Ruka almost snapped.

Natsume shook his head, now he would have to give hourly updates to Ruka about Mikan.

"I will. She is first priority." Natsume snapped back, then more quietly he said "Thanks man. I just wasn't seeing that. I will keep texting you with updates. Now gotta go."

Natsume hung up, and then headed to see Narumi to make sure he knew what might happen. By the time he was done, it was almost time to get Mikan from school. Natsume just hopped in the car that the driver was about to take to get her, rather than getting his own and drove off. He reached there with hardly anytime to spare, Mikan was waiting at the door.

She got in and then looked in surprise when she realized Natsume was the one driving.

"What am I doing here?" He asked her amused.

She nodded then pointed to the car. Natsume laughed as he started moving through traffic.

"I wanted to pick you up but I was late. I literally stopped the driver at the last minute and jumped in. If I had gotten my car, it would have meant me being even more late." Natsume explained.

Mikan scowled at him, then typed on her phone and showed him. "Why was the driver leaving so late to begin with?"

"You do know that it is illegal to read texts while driving right?" Natsume asked teasingly, then continued, "I changed some security measures for you. Thats why he was late. Bear with more security okay, it'll gimme some peace of mind and stop Ruka from killing me."

Mikan chuckled.

After a while Natsume said in a very gentle voice, "Mikan, please check your seatbelt."

Mikan gave him a dirty look, then checked, and then gave him a thumbs up.

Natsume nodded, then said in clipped tones, "We're being followed. I am gonna try and get rid of them. This is gonna be bad driving. Send Narumi a text asking for help and tell him I am heading for the fort. He'll know what I mean."

Mikan nodded and then started typing. Natsume swerved the car through traffic at breakneck speed, keeping his eyes on the black sedan in the rearview mirror.

Natsume finally found himself surrounded at a secluded area near the docks. His eyes were narrowed and fury was coming off him in waves. W_here the hell is Narumi? _He thought furiously as he eyed the 5 cars surrounding his.

They were totally outnumbered. His eyes landed on Mikan. Her face was expressionless but he could see the trembling in her hands.

Three men got out of one of the cars and headed for them. Natsume sat there, tersely waiting. When they were right near his car, Natsume suddenly shifted gears and flew the car around the other cars, two wheels had been off the road and over the edge into the water as he had pulled this off. The chase would have started again, but they shot at his tyres and took them out. The car went screeching to the right. Mikan screamed, and Natsume threw himself over her.

Mikan opened her eyes. They were sticky. She blinked and realized Natsume was over her. They were in the upside down car and he was cradling her, and she was covered in sticky red blood. Natsume's blood.

She screamed, trying to get her hands free. She got several cuts from the broken glass but she hardly cared as she freed herself from her seatbelt and tried to check on him. He was so pale. _Oh God. _Mikan whimpered. Then suddenly someone grabbed her.

She looked up with horrified eyes into the face of the man she had seen before at the mansion. The ones Natsume had warned her about. She fought him as he pulled her out, fought him with everything she had, all the while gasping to call out to Natsume.

He was still there. He looked hurt. So hurt.

The man was amazed at how much the little girl fought him, and for the bloody silence in which she fought. Hell he could almost respect such determination. Too bad it stood in his way. He paid no heed to the driver lying bloody in the car. Small fry were not his thing. But god it was hard to hold on to the girl. He caught her and slapped her hard. She ignored it as if it had been a tap and kept on fighting.

He dragged Mikan, kicking and not screaming to his car. Her eyes were focussed on the figure in the car. He was not moving. She would not, could not leave him.

"NATSUME!" Mikan screamed at the top of her lungs.

Natsume regained consciousness to the sound of someone screaming his name. Again and again his name rang out.

And then in one jolt he_ knew._

He wriggled out of the car, at the same time grabbing or the guns from his shoulder holster. His eyes landed on the man dragging Mikan as she fought, as she screamed his name, again and again. Then he started shooting.

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**Author Note: I am SORRY for the cliffhanger. My best defense is that its not that bad of a cliffhanger. I will try my best to update as soon as I can. But I had to end the chapter somewhere soon coz otherwise it would have been too long and this seemed like a good spot. Ah well I figured it wasn't that bad. **

**anyways, Thanks for Reading and DO Review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters. This story is all mine though.**

**Thanks for reviewing: **

**cj-the-greatest**

**-Fallen-Broken-Winged-Angel-**

**LilBlueBear**

**mai-chaan7**

**SakuraPetals13**

**Author Note: Sorry if there are any errors in this chapter. It is 3 am and I am dead tired, but I had an idea so had to write and I figured that an update with typos was preferable to no update. Thanks for reading and Do Review! **

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Mikan's ears were ringing, and for a moment she had no idea what had happened. The man dragging her had dropped on the ground, and she was stuck under him. Then she saw Natsume, as he shot at her kidnappers. He was moving towards her.

Mikan scrambled to free herself, and then he was there. Natsume grabbed her hand, and they ran. Before the kidnappers could stop them they were across the street, and then suddenly a car screeched to a halt between them and the attackers. The door opened, and Misaki grabbed them and hauled them inside.

"GO!" he shouted at Narumi, who floored it.

"What took you so damned long?" Natsume snapped, as he started methodically examining Mikan for injuries.

"Your grandfather was also attacked. That was just a decoy so they could keep us busy, and grab Mikan. It almost worked." Misaki answered. "He is fine by the way."

Natsume gave him a terse nod. He was done checking Mikan. She was mostly fine, except some cuts and a lot of bruises. Only now he allowed Misaki to check him. Natsume held Mikan's small shaking hand tightly in his all the way home.

* * *

"Natsume will be fine. You need to rest to Mikan." Narumi said kindly. Mikan shook her head and continued to sit on a chair next to Natsume's bed. He had been injured way worse than it had first seemed. He had three broken ribs, two hair line cracks on his arm, and 5 cuts that had needed stitches, and he was black and blue all over from bruises. He was dosed so high on pain medication he could barely keep his eyes open. Mikan had not moved from his side as soon as she had had her own cuts stitched up. That had been nearly nine hrs ago.

Narumi picked Mikan up. If he had thought she was too tired to fight, he had another think coming. Mikan fought him, and fought him hard, until he was forced to let go, and she jumped back on the floor.

"Stop this Mikan. He can't see you here, and you need sleep. You'll make yourself sick." Narumi snapped angrily as he grabbed her hand.

"Let me go."Mikan whispered.

Narumi's eyes widened, and he was so shocked that the words did not register.

"Let GO!" Mikan screamed.

Narumi let go of her as if burnt.

"Mikan, please, we have to get you to see a doctor. Your voice is back. Natsume would also want you to.." Narumi started but was interrupted by Natsume.

"Don't decide what I would want on your own." Natsume said from where he had managed to sit in bed.

Narumi scowled. "You are in no condition to sit."

"Shut it."Natsume growled, then turned his gaze on Mikan.

"C'mere." He said, and it was obvious that he was close to falling unconscious. Mikan ran to him.

"You need to rest." He told her. Mikan's face fell, but she shook her head stubbornly.

Natsume just pulled the covers aside next to him. "Sleep here then, but if you kick me while you sleep, I won't forgive you."

Mikan slid in, and Natsume arranged the blankets around her. Natsume then looked up to see a very exasperated Narumi.

"Try to force her to do anything again, and you're dead."Natsume said coldly, before he collapsed back into bed. He was out like a light in the next 30 seconds.

Narumi stared at them for a full minute, then left, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, _crazy kids._

_

* * *

_

Narumi found Misaki sitting in the den.

"You got Mikan off to bed?" he asked.

Narumi scowled, and then chuckled. "Nope, Natsume just got her in bed with him."

"Natsume woke up?" Misaki said shocked. Natsume had enough meds in his system to knock down an elephant.

"Oh yeah. He even threatened me with death if I ever tried to force Mikan to do what she did not want." Narumi collapsed in the chair next to Misaki, then gave him a beatific smile.

"What?" Misaki asked uneasily.

Narumi laughed out loud this time. "Mikan's voice came back. I admit she screamed at me, but she said actual words."

Misaki looked stunned for a minute, then he too smiled. It seemed that really everything did have a silver lining. Mikan had spoken for the first time in more than three years.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters. This story is all mine though.**

**Thanks for reviewing:**

**xoxo Juliie **

**LilBlueBear **

**TheBadsun **

**bluechibi **

**cj-the-greatest **

**Rena Miko**

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**Author Note: Sorry this chapter is kinda short. I hope you guys don't mind that too much. I'll try to update soon. **

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"Rise and Shine people!" Ruka said cheerily as he yanked open the curtains in Natsume's room. Afternoon light streamed into the room where the two had been napping.

"Go away." Natsume mumbled.

'Go away' Mikan wrote in the air above her head with her finger.

Ruka laughed, then walked to the bed, and plopped down on it next to Mikan.

"I might consider it if you actually say it Mikan." He said easily, but he was frowning. _Hoping. _

After a minute, Mikan whispered, "I wanna sleep."

Ruka smiled broadly. "I know but no can do. Its time for both of you to get up, of course that is if you still can Natsume." Ruka chuckled.

Natsume sat up glaring at Ruka, but he could not hide his wince as pain lanced through his broken ribs. Mikan too sat up, and then looked balefully at Ruka for a minute before jumping up and hugging him.

Ruka laughed as he hugged her back. "I missed you too." He told her.

"Now get going. I know you want to stay with him," he jabbed his head in Natsume's direction, "so instead i will stay here until you come back. How about getting a shower? Yo always like to get one after a nap."

Mikan gave him a long look, then slowly nodded. She headed out of the room, but turned at the door. At the smile from Ruka and the nod from Natsume, she left.

"She fought like hell when Narumi tried to take her away last night." Natsume said with a fond smile.

"Yeah I know, and you threatened to kill him." Ruka grinned.

"He had it coming." Natsume said coldly.

Ruka just shook his head. "I came on the earliest possible flight. Tell me everything. I heard most from Misaki, but I need to know from you."

Natsume explained everything that had happened yesterday to Ruka. He did not leave even a single detail out.

"The lead guy, the one who was dragging Mikan, he's dead?" Ruka asked when Natsume was finished.

"Dunno. I know he was hit bad, but he might have survived it. I don't think anyone died, and it was not for the lack of trying." Natsume answered.

"I see. We need hard core recon. Gotta know who they are, how did they know enough about us to have a decoy and a trap in place. It would have worked perfectly if you hadn't went to pick up Mikan at the last minute. We might even have a mole." Ruka was already calculating all the possibilities.

"Agreed but I am useless for at least another week if not more." Natsume said in a very frustrated voice.

"Never call yourself useless." Ruka glared, then he continued, "You can use your laptop and your brain. I'll send you everything I find so that you might be able to see the bigger picture if there is one, and you can also work on all the info on all our employees and see if you can spot the mole."

Natsume nodded. "Seems like a good plan. When are you starting?"

"I already have. I needed to talk to you to put final touches but I have things already moving. I want you to rest tonight as well. You'll start working in earnest from tomorrow." Ruka replied briskly.

Natsume grinned, "You are so fast."

Ruka gave him a look promising murder but before he could say anything more Mikan entered the room. She happily took a spot on the bed, near the other two.

Ruka gave her a smile while Natsume just sank back into the pillows. This broken ribs thing was really annoying him.

Ruka talked with Mikan for a while. Her answers were really short sentences, and her voice was somewhat raspy, but she was talking. Natsume smiled and fell asleep to the sound of Mikan's newfound voice.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**-Fallen-Broken-Winged-Angel- - Yup me too! **

**LilBlueBear - Yup Ruka's back! **

**Janet NT - Yay! Thanks :) **

**SakuraPetals13 - Thanks :) **

**cj-the-greatest - It'll be a long wait I guess. But it'll be worth it. I promise. **

**chainedheart999 - The mystery behind Mikan's parents will come later.  
**

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******One Month Later: **

**Natsume's POV **

I stood there under the shower, feeling better as more and more hot water ran over me. soothing me. Cleaning me. It had taken a while for the water to run clear of the blood and the grime, but it was all gone now. _Why then could I still see the blood on my hands? Why did I still feel dirty?_

I shook away my morbid thoughts. I could not act like this, but now I understood why my father had wished for me to never step into this world. Even if everything Hyugga was legit now, we would never be completely clean. There would always be someone trying to drag us back down, someone trying to hurt the people we loved. Just like I had dragged Ruka with me. Just like Mikan was in danger because of me.

No NO! I could not think like this. I had only done what I had to do. They had crossed the line when they attacked Mikan, now they were paying for it. It had to be done. The message had to be clear. I could not let people think they could get away with hurting Mikan. No matter how dirty I felt, I would always protect her.

Later that day we headed out to see the head of the organization we had declared war against.

He met us in his office. The perfect gentleman.

"So how can I help you?"He asked in a falsely polite voice. He thought we were here for a truce._ He had no idea._

"I am here on the behalf of my Grandfather, Tuoshrou Hyugga, the head of the Hyugga family, to inform you that every single person involved in the attack on his person as well as our family is dead. I personally saw to it." I said in as cold a voice as I could manage.

"I am not here to threaten, but to warn. Do NOT mess with us, or there will be no one left alive who even knows your name. We have given up the criminal world but that does not mean we cannot defend ourselves." I stood up and besides me Ruka and Misaki did the same.

"Its your last chance. Mess it up and I will enjoy making you pay for attacking my family." I smirked at his chalky white face, and left. _Finally, _this was over.

* * *

**Normal POV**

Mikan was pacing in the living room, waiting for them to come back. Toushrou and Narumi were playing chess.

When they finally entered, she ran and gave first Natsume and then Ruka a hug. Both the boys returned it, but fatigue was dripping from them. They both walked to separate couches and collapsed in them.

"Its finished now." Misaki said as he took a seat next to Narumi. Both Narumi and Toushrou stopped their game. "Thats good." Toushrou said calmly, while Narumi just nodded. Mikan looked at the whole lot of them, then went and sat by Natsume. He took her hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"But we do have another problem now." Narumi said in a quiet voice. Mikan felt Natsume tense next to her, as if he was expecting a blow.

Then it came, and Mikan felt it hit her like a punch when Misaki said, "Mikan cannot stay here anymore."

Mikan's eyes widened in horror, and Natsume pulled her closer. "If she goes, I am going with her." He said coldly. Across from them Ruka also nodded.

"This is for her own protection Natsume. She does not share a last name with anyone here, so if she goes far enough, she'll be safe. She can still visit in all holidays and you and Ruka can visit her too." Narumi said reasonably.

Natsume felt Mikan shrink closer to him. His scowl got darker.

"I am staying with her, no matter where that is. This is non negotiable." Natsume snapped.

"Did you forget who Mikan's legal guardian is?" Narumi snapped back.

"That threat does not work anymore. We're not the kids we were back then and believe me if you start that again, you will regret it." Ruka said coldly. There was an edge in his eyes, he was not going to let this happen.

Narumi almost flinched at Ruka's tone but Toushrou stopped him before he could retaliate.

"Ruka's right. That threat is a thing of the past. I believe we have all become family since then, and this is beneath us. Mikan is also a part of this family and I believe she is old enough to decide for herself. Mikan would it be okay with you if we sent you somewhere else? A good place where you will be well taken care of and safe?"

"No." was Mikan's immediate reply.

"Well thats that then. It has been a really busy day so how about all of you get some rest?" Toushrou said dismissing them all with a benign smile. Natsume, Mikan and Ruka left first, Natsume was still holding Mikan's hand tightly.

Narumi and Misaki stayed where they were.

"That was profoundly stupid." Toushrou told the other two.

"I thought that after all this they would understand that she is vulnerable." Narumi said angrily. "You did not see the terror in her eyes when we got them out of that kidnapping attempt. She is a kid and she can have a better life. Why won't they let her have it?"

"Those boys, especially Natsume, need her far more than she needs them. They just don't realize that. All we have to do is make them accept that and they would convince her to leave themselves. Natsume and Mikan are too dependent on each other, and they need to learn to live without the other, but it is not something you can force in one night. They have to be separated, for their own good, but it can wait a while." Toushrou sighed.

"Mikan has just regained her voice, and Natsume is not in school with her anymore. Let her become more self reliant, then we can convince Natsume to send her away. She will never be able to become her own person if he is always there." Toushrou finished. "lets not discuss this again until they are ready to accept that they need to learn to survive without the other."

Without another word he left the room, leaving Misaki and Narumi, who shrugged and headed to bed themselves. It had been a long day.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters.**

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**cj-the-greatest **

**-Fallen-Broken-Winged-Angel- **

**LilBlueBear**

**DREAMLYN-LA-DY-BUG-**

**xxxangelHoliCxxx **

**chainedheart999**

**Thanks a LOT! **

**I am sorry that this is such a short chapter but the next one will be longer for sure! Hope you enjoy it. **

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**Ruka's POV **

Six months have passed since I came back from Norway. I had just refused to return after I had come home when Mikan was attacked. How could I leave them alone? Especially now when we could not really trust our so called 'family' to not separate us.

Till now there had been no more talk of sending Mikan away, which was good. Both Natsume and I had been wary, but it seemed that grandfather had meant what he had said. So far our biggest challenge had been to get Mikan to talk. She still preferred writing texts on her phone, or basically any form of writing, rather than speaking. We knew that her friends in school did not even know that she could talk.

Now we stood outside her school to pick her up. Natsume stood next to me looking bored as always. I swear I could never understand what women saw in him. His long hair was usually tied up, and his earrings showed clearly, and he always always looked bored. I mean c'mon, the guy looked like obvious trouble, and yet every girl who met him, could not help but, sometimes almost literally, drool. I stared at him some more, trying to figure this out.

**Normal POV**

"You're thinking something weird aren't you?" Natsume said coldly to Ruka without even glancing at him.

"What do women see in you?" Ruka asked somewhat annoyed. "You're almost always dressed in black, your hair is long, if we could bottle that bad attitude of yours, punks would buy it by the dozen, and you always look like you want to be somewhere else."

"Your point?" Natsume asked.

"Why the heck do you have to have crazy fans everywhere?" he said pointedly glancing at all the girls who were staring at them from the school windows.

"A lot of them are drooling after you." Natsume countered.

"Thats bull and you know it." Ruka snapped.

"As if. You remember that time when we covered our fans in paint? You got as many girls as I did."

Ruka grinned. "That was fun." then he paused and said after a moment, "Come to think of it, when was the last time we played a prank?"

Natsume scowled, then his eyes met Ruka's over the rim of their sunglasses. "Too long." They both said at the same time.

Natsume's face lit up with an evil smirk, and Ruka knew that he wore an identical expression.

"Target?" Ruka asked.

"Narumi. He's annoying." Natsume answered.

"Time?" Natsume asked.

"Next week." Ruka answered.

"Competition or together?" Ruka asked.

"Competition." They both said at the same time. Then they both started plotting in their heads. Neither looked bored anymore.

Somewhere in another part of the city Narumi shivered. He looked around but nothing was wrong, yet he had a feeling that someone was thinking evil thoughts about him.

* * *

'So what are you guys plotting and against who?' Mikan typed on her phone and showed to Ruka as they were driving home.

"Mikan, I can't make you talk to other people but you have to at least talk to us." Ruka said patiently as he handed her the phone back, without reading it.

Mikan scowled. Then said, "What are you plotting?"

"That wasn't so hard now was it?" Ruka said with a sweet smile. Mikan scowled more. Natsume grinned at her expression and answered. "We decided we were missing the good old days a bit too much, so we are having another pranking contest. Wanna be the judge again?"

Mikan nodded happily. Natsume raised an eyebrow and she snapped, "Yes."

Natsume chuckled. "Anyhow, We start next week and it goes on for a week. Whoever can get Narumi the most in that week wins."

"Uncle Narumi?" Mikan asked surprised.

"Yeah him." Ruka answered but none too kindly. The boys had still not forgiven him for even thinking about taking Mikan away.

"Okeys." Mikan smiled. Both Ruka and Natsume smiled back, but their smiles had a distinct edge to them.

Narumi would have no idea what hit him. Let the pranks commence!


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**-Fallen-Broken-Winged-Angel- **

**cj-the-greatest **

**bma925 **

**LilBlueBear**

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**1 Week Later:**

**Narumi's POV: **

When I got up this morning I had a bad feeling. It was silly but I had a feeling that today will not be a good day for me. If I had known just how bad it was going to be, I would never have left my room.

Everything was fine till I finished breakfast and I had even started to diss my nerves from this morning when _it_ started.

* * *

**Normal POV: **

Narumi looked at the flowers in surprise. "So you're telling me that these are for me?" He asked the servant holding a HUGE bouquet of red roses.

"No sir." came the prompt answer and Narumi relaxed.

"I am saying that these as well as a whole truckload of flowers have arrived for you." the servant finished his sentence.

Narumi nearly choked on his drink. Everyone else at the table (Natsume, Mikan, Ruka and Misaki) tried to hide their laughter.

"Why so worried Narumi, we all know that women fawn over you where ever you go." Misaki said with a slight smirk.

"But.." Before Narumi could say anything more, more servants brought in the more flowers. There were a _lot. _

"Where do you want us to place them sir?" one of them asked.

"Just bring them all here. I do want to see how much Narumi pleased some lady." Misaki said with an evil grin. Ruka and Natsume shared smirks, while Mikan maintained her angelic expression.

The servant nodded and then left.

By the time all the flowers had arrived, the room was completely filled with flowers and there were still a lot of them placed outside the (what had before seemed huge) dining room.

"_Well_" Misaki drawled, "Wanna tell us who the lady is?"

"I was telling you before too, I have no.." Narumi started when he was interrupted again.

"This card came with the flowers sir." said one of the butlers respectfully.

Narumi extended his hand but Mikan beat him to it. Narumi watched in astonishment as Mikan gave him the puppy dog eyes.

"I wanna know who likes Uncle Narumi so much. Can I? _please." _Mikan asked in her sweetest voice. Ruka choked back a laugh while Natsume's eyes were dancing with humor.

Both Misaki and Narumi were taken aback, but then Narumi nodded.

Mikan opened the card, which had red hearts and roses on it, (in case any one was wondering) and started reading out loud.

"Dearest Naru,

Forgive me for not getting in contact with you earlier _Darling_, I truly did not imagine that time would escape me like this. Oh.. How I have missed you! You can not imagine the way my heart bleeds every time I think of the time I have spent away from your arms.. "

Narumi choked here again and was going beet red. The other three were trying very hard not to laugh.

"My life has been ever so bleak without you in it. Your beauty is my sun, your lips are my roses and your..." Mikan stopped as Misaki took the letter from her. He scanned it quickly, and then handed it back. "Sorry Mikan, I had to confirm the rating on this thing. I read a note a woman sent him once and I still shudder everytime I think about it."

Mikan nodded and continued, while Misaki ignored the dirty look Narumi threw him.

"your eyes are my stars. If the world were to end tomorrow, I want to spend today with you, completely filled..." Narumi's face flamed up here, "with happiness and contentment just to be by your side."

Misaki threw Narumi a knowing look.

"Please my love, let me back in your life and in your heart. I know I have taken a long time, but now I can be with no one but you. I have given up on everything in my life but you. Please, I beg you, be mine." Mikan stopped.

"Thats it?" Narumi asked, still blushing slightly.

"No, it is signed but I must be reading it wrong." Mikan said innocently.

Narumi took the card from her. He frowned at the characters, and then asked, "How were you reading this?"

"Kyouhei" Mikan answered innocently.

"Yeah that seems right." Narumi said and the the meaning hit him.

Mikan smiled and said, "From your and your alone, Kyohei with lots of love and kisses. That finishes Uncle's letter."

Everyone at the table was staring at Narumi as he stared in abject horror at the card in his hands.

Misaki was the first one to crack. He burst out laughing and kept laughing till tears flowed from his eyes. Ruka and Natsume were chuckling, while Mikan seemed somewhat bemused.

"Why didn't you tell us you were dating a guy?" Ruka asked innocently, leading to even more gales of laughter from Misaki.

"I am not..." Narumi sputtered.

"God Narumi I had no idea you could get drunk enough to not be able to tell the difference between a man and a woman." Misaki said amid laughter. When Natsume noticed Mikan's slight blush, he murmured, "You don't need to hear this." and covered her ears with his hands.

"Of course not!" Narumi snapped, but the effect was ruined by his scarlet face.

Misaki laughed again, "Uh huh. I knew you happily agreed to anyone who asked, but I had no idea it really was _anyone._"

This time even Ruka and Natsume laughed.

Before Narumi could answer, there was a knock on the dining room door.

"Yes?" Narumi snapped. He had been interrupted too many times already.

"There is another truckload of flowers for you. Where would you like us to put those?" the man asked calmly.

Narumi growled, "Throw them out. I don't want them."

"Just bring us the card." Misaki called. The butler nodded and left. Natsume removed his hands from Mikan's ears. "Narumi received another truck full of flowers." he told her.

Mikan smiled. "This person must really love Uncle Narumi."

Misaki, Ruka and Natsume roared with laughter.

The second card arrived and Narumi tried to grab for it but this time it was Misaki who beat him to it.

"Dearest Naru,

I hope my flowers don't bother you, but they are all but a small expression of my love. I hope that..." at this point Misaki choked. He looked up and grinned, "Thats R rated material so I am skipping it."

"and I will be able to..." Misaki chuckled again, and leered at Narumi, "your boyfriend has a really good imagination, or maybe good experience."

Ruka and Natsume laughed while exchanging a really evil look. Narumi looked murderous.

"Please answer my love, before these flowers and my heart and..." Misaki laughed, "...wither. I will be waiting. Yours and yours alone Kyohei." Misaki finished and gave Narumi an evil look.

"If his card is anything to go by, you'll be busy for a long long time after you see him." Misaki smirked evilly.

Narumi grabbed the card from him and read the full contents, and his face became even more furious.

"I am going to kill this.. " Narumi stopped his tirade with an effort (no swearing in front of Mikan), and stormed out.

Once Narumi's foosteps could no longer be heard, Misaki smiled and turned to Natsume and Ruka. "So which one of you was it?" he asked calmly.

Natsume raised an amused eyebrow while Ruka seemed somewhat surprised.

"What makes you think that?"Ruka asked.

Misaki raised an eyebrow, "The two of you were having too much fun." he smirked.

Ruka chuckled while Natsume grinned. "Lets just say that things will be very interesting around Narumi for a while. Enjoy the show." Natsume said as he got up to leave. Ruka and Mikan followed suit, with Mikan giving Misaki a wave before she left.

Misaki chuckled, things were going to be interesting indeed.

* * *

**Author Note: I know that a lot of ppl say that Narumi is gay but in the actual GA he's not, he just does not mind using his pheromones on guys. So for the sake of letting my pranks work well, please, assume that he is really really straight. **

**Oh n i hope no one is offended by this. I thought it wasn't completely clean but it did not seem bad. I am also a 21 yr old, so my standards for dirty might be a bit different. Truthfully I am not too sure abt this prank, it seemed fun, harassing a straight guy abt a gay lover, ( i always find it silly how guys go all crazy abt somebody being gay when its really not a big deal) but if ppl find it not cool then I can always delete this chapter and do it again.**

**Do REVIEW!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**mai-chaan7 **

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**missie-mizzy **

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**Author Note: I am sorry this chapter is kinda short. Its just that it seemed right to end it here. Do let me know what you guys think! **

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"Misaki will you stop that!" Narumi snapped.

"Stop what?" Misaki asked innocently.

"Stop wearing that god awful look on your face." Narumi said icily, staring daggers at his friend.

Misaki laughed. "Well it is funny."

"Not for me!"Narumi cried out angrily.

Misaki laughed even more. They were at their office, and well, it was also full of flowers. It actually looked like a wedding reception, thats how many flowers there were. It had made Narumi go crazy, and Misaki had almost died laughing.

"Look on the bright side, this guy is definitely rich, and since you probably did mistake him for a girl, he must be pretty good looking. All in all you could have done a lot worse." Misaki said trying to sound reasonable, but he had not been able to keep a straight face.

Narumi growled. "Get OUT!"

Misaki chuckled then left, barely avoiding the vase that Narumi threw at him. This was turning out to be priceless.

* * *

"So you decided to work together?" Mikan asked from where she was bouncing on an exercise ball in Natsume's room.

Ruka and Natsume looked up from where they had been working on Natsume's laptop.

"Well, kind of. We needed him to believe it was all done by the same person so we had to. It worked out well." Ruka said with a grin.

Mikan frowned. "How do I keep score then?"

"Thats a problem. We need something substantial to decide who wins." Ruka muttered.

"How about who ever gets caught loses?" Natsume asked.

"Uh No. Narumi will kill us. No way in hell are we chancing getting caught. I know you'l frame me some way or other to win if thats the case." Ruka answered edgily.

Natsume smirked, but then sighed when he saw Mikan nodding in agreement with Ruka.

"Fine. Lets just call it a collaboration. Depending on whose ideas bothered Narumi more we'll decide the winner at the end."

Both Ruka and Mikan agreed.

"By the way shouldn't _that _have happened by now?" Ruka asked Natsume. Natsume checked his watch. "Oh yeah, pity we won't be there to see it."

"Thats fine, as much as Misaki is enjoying himself, he'll tell us for sure." Ruka grinned evilly.

* * *

"AAAAAGGGHHHHHHHHHHH" Narumi screamed.

Misaki ran into his office, and nearly choked. The entire room and Narumi were covered in hot pink glitter and hot pink confetti. There were also pink flower petals in Narumi's hair and.. dear god... his hands were covered in pink paint, to the point that it looked like he was wearing bright pink gloves. There were splashes of the paint on his desk and his clothes, and some was even smeared on his face.

"Holy.." Misaki murmred, knowing full well that if he so much as cracked a smile, Narumi would kill him.

Narumi threw away the package he had opened, and it crashed to the floor all the way across the room. To Misaki's amazement, a voice started coming from it, saying, "I love you" over and over again. Narumi strode to it and stomped on it, again and again, until the voice finally died out.

"When I get my hands on this..." Narumi sstrode to the washroom muttering curses and threats, while Misaki looked at the pink disaster area that used to be Narumi's office and slowly shook his head. If those boys got caught, Narumi would skin them alive.

Then he walked to the desk and noticed the card that was there.

He picked it up and read it. God it was so hard not to laugh.

"Dearest Loveliest Naru,

This gift is the beating of my heart that i send to you, wrapped in the package of the color I want to see most on you. Maybe I will get my wish, sooner than you may think.

With all my love and kisses,

Kyouhei"

"Well he did warn Naru in advance." Misaki muttered to himself.

"Who in hell are you calling Naru?" Narumi growled.

"Ummm its nothing. I am just going to leave n..." Misaki stopped in mid sentence as he realized that even though most of the confetti and petals were gone, a lot of the glitter and all the paint was still there.

"It won't come off." Narumi said in cold rage as he noticed Misaki's stare.

"You're kidding." Misaki could not help but ask.

"Do I look like I am kidding?" Narumi snapped back.

"uh yeah.. how about we go home for the day? Its not like we'll be getting any work done, and we are distracting others. It might also be easier to trace the guy if we're at home when he tries something next." Misaki asked. He knew full well that this was far from over.

Narumi nodded, looking very dejected, but Misaki knew that it was a cover for the real fury that was simmering just beneath the surface. Narumi really would be hunting like hell for the culprit. MIsaki had a feeling that they won't be easy to find.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

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"AAAAAARRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Narumi screamed. Misaki came running into his room. He stopped dead in his tracks as he realized what was wrong. _Oh GOD! _How was he to not laugh at this?

Narumi turned to him, his lips pulled back in a snarl. "Lend me some clothes." He snapped, deciding to ignore the look of hilarity on Misaki's face for now.

"Uhhh sure." Misaki said amused. Narumi followed him in a towel. He had just stepped out of the shower when he had seen what had happened.

"You sure you did not hear anyone enter your room?" Misaki asked when Narumi was dressed.

"What part of, I-was-in-the-shower did you miss?" Narumi replied coldly.

"Uh yeah. Well you're dressed now, so lets go. Its almost 11 am and we have a meeting soon. We can go buy you some clothes after that."

Narumi nodded glumly. All his clothes were now ruined. ALL OF THEM were covered in glitter. Between the time he had gone for his shower and come back outside, somehow all his clothes had had glitter ingrained into them. And not just the gold or silver kind, _no, _it was the multicolored kind with heavy emphasis on pink and purple.

GAH!

* * *

"Why are you wearing gloves Uncle?" Mikan asked Narumi innocently. (It really was innocent since she had no idea what had happened at the office yesterday.)

Misaki choked back a laugh while Narumi glared at him.

"Someone played a stupid prank Mikan and got color on my hands. It won't come off so I am wearing gloves." Narumi said patiently.

"Why don't you show us? It cant be that bad." Ruka asked with a totally straight face.

Narumi frowned but Mikan gave him the puppy dog eyes.

Narumi pulled off the gloves, and for a moment there was stunned silence.

"Its pink!" Mikan exclaimed. That was the last straw for Ruka, Natsume and Misaki who now burst out laughing.

Narumi glared at them and put the gloves back on. As he did, he unconsciously tucked his hair behind his ear, and Mikan pointed.

"You got it on your face too?"

The three who had just started to control their laughter cracked up again. Narumi ignored their hilarity, and gave Mikan a curt nod.

"And why are you wearing Uncle Misaki's clothes? I gifted him that shirt." Mikan asked again.

Narumi sighed. Trust her to ask every embarrassing thing. "My clothes are covered in glitter Mikan. Someone thought they looked better that way."

Mikan smiled, "Glitter is pretty."

Before Narumi could reply to that one, or glare at the three killing themselves laughing, a servant entered, and Narumi scowled even more. He knew it was bad to kill the messenger but he was close to losing it.

"What?" he asked.

"Sir there is..." the man faltered under Narumi's glare.

"Quit scaring him and let him speak." Misaki admonished him while motioning for the man to continue.

"Sir, there is a.. well its a band out there saying that they have to perform for you. Its an orchestra, complete with dancers, and singers. There is also a truck full of choclates and four trucks filled with flowers." the man said uneasily.

Narumi growled. "Have the flowers sent around to every hospital in town. If there are still any left then send them to old age homes. Send the chocolates to orphanages. But first make sure to check everything for cards and if there are any bring them here." Narumi ordered coldly.

"You're no fun!" Misaki chuckled.

"Don't test me. I am this close" he held his finger really really close to his thumb, "to literally a killing rage."

"Yeah yeah, don't blow your head." Misaki chuckled.

Within 15 min. the man brought in a stack of cards. "These are all the cards sir. What are we to do with the orchestra? They say that they have a special performance just for you."

"Tell them to go away. If they say that they won't get paid if they don't perform, pay them, but make them leave." Narumi said angrily.

"Yes, Sir." the man said and left.

"Really now Naru...mi! Stop losing your temper, its just someone with a good sense of humor." Misaki said barely managing to keep a straight face.

"Yeah yeah." Narumi said as he started flipping through the cards. He scowled when he was finished, then left the room without saying anything, but he had taken the cards with him. Natsume and Ruka exchanged an uneasy look. Narumi should have blown up at those cards, not left. Something had gone wrong.

Later when they were alone in Ruka's room, Natsume went over everything that they had planned for the rest of the week.

"Change of tactics?" he asked Ruka.

Ruka nodded. "I need some details from my room, lets head there." Natsume said as he stood up. Ruka followed him to his room.

They opened the door and there was a large POP!

Then suddenly the room was filled with bright lights, confetti, and *ahem* dancing girls (arabian style).

Ruka and Natsume stared. WTH!

"Aren't you happy boys?" Narumi said from behind them.

They jumped a foot in the air and then turned as one. Narumi stood there, an evil smirk on her face.

"Did you really think I would not figure it out?" He asked.

Both Natsume and Ruka stared, wondering if to play innocent, or make a run for it. They shared a look and then ran. They could hear Narumi laughing behind them, but there was no way they were taking a risk and getting caught anywhere near that room. No way in hell.

When they finally stopped, they were both gasping for breath. They looked at each other and burst out laughing. They laughed till they both had tears coming from their eyes. It was priceless, they had been too confident, and the result was that Narumi was probably killing himself laughing right now.

Laughing, Ruka touched his fist to Natsume's.

"Fun while it lasted!" Ruka said and Natsume nodded, while still chuckling.

By lunch the entire place was back to normal, and peace had been restored. Natsume and Ruka called it a draw. Not just with each other but also with Narumi. He had caught them after all. They did have to go find everything from Narumi's ruined wardrobe for him again though. It turned out to be annoying but it was definitely not the worst pay back Narumi could have given them.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

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**mai-chaan7 **

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Natsume scowled as his phone buzzed. He was in the middle of a meeting for crying out loud. What about "Do Not Call Me" was so hard to understand? He raised his hand to silence the person talking and flicked his phone open.

Natsume's eyes narrowed in icy fury as he listened to Ruka.

"I am coming." was all he said before he snapped his phone shut and stood up, "We will finish this some other time." he said already half way to the door.

Ruka was pacing when he heard Natsume's car screech to a halt outside the mansion. Within a minute Natsume was next to him, but when he started to enter the room but Ruka stopped him.

"Doc said to wait." he said gruffly. Natsume nodded, then he noticed that Ruka was also bleeding.

"You need..." Natsume started but Ruka cut him off.

"It can wait." he snapped angrily. Natsume looked at him in surprise, then pulled him into a hug. When he finally let go, Ruka had tears in his eyes.

"Its all my fault." Ruka whispered.

"You did all you could." Natsume answered but before he could say anymore the door opened and the doc came out.

As one Natsume and Ruka turned to him. "How is she?" they asked at the same time.

"We had to sedate her so she is not conscious right now but she will be fine. It could have been much worse." The doc answered before heading away.

Both Ruka and Natsume entered Mikan's bedroom. She looked like she was sleeping on the huge bed. Except that she was almost as pale as the white sheets that surrounded her, and yet the bandages stood out clearly against her skin. There was one tied on her forehead, a second on her left arm, and from what Ruka had told him, Natsume knew there was another one on her left leg.

Natsume knelt on the floor next to her bed and took her small hand in his. He could feel her pulse in her wrist. He kissed her hand and then stood up. While Ruka took the spot he had just vacated, he strode to the side to grab the med kit.

On Natsume's insistence Ruka took off his jacket and then his shirt. The whole left part of his torso was covered in blue and purple bruises. Since he could do nothing about those, Natsume went about cleaning and then bandaging the slash that ran from Ruka's shoulder to his elbow on his arm, and then another one that went from his shoulder blade to his spine on his back. Neither were deep, and did not need stitches. Natsume knew better than to try for Ruka to go to a doctor. In his current mood, it was good enough that Ruka was letting him clean and bandage them.

Just as he finished, Narumi entered the room at a run.

"Is Mikan okay?" he gasped.

Natsume gave him a terse nod in the direction of the bed. Narumi hurried over, and then collapsed in relief when he saw that the damage was not as bad as the had initially thought. He turned back towards the other two.

Ruka felt Narumi assess the damage he had taken with a scowl, but to his surprise Narumi said nothing to him.

"Natsume I want you to concentrate on security, and security only. Ruka is injured, and Mikan will be insecure once she wakes up. I understand the abilities you both have but in a way you are still children. Let me protect at least some innocence that still may be left inside you both. For now, until this is finished please do not leave the mansion." with that said, Narumi turned and left. Both Ruka and Natsume had noticed the moisture in his eyes. No matter what, Narumi really loved Mikan and they both knew it.

"So what exactly did happen?" Natsume asked Ruka after a minute.

"I was near Mikan's school by chance and so I decided to pick her up. Just as we left school I realized we were being followed, in fact I had noticed that car before I had even decided to pick Mikan up, but hadn't realized I was being followed. I tried to lose the tail, and when that did not work, I headed home as fast as I could. They blew out one of my tires, but I was really close to the mansion by then, and the backup I had asked for had arrived. We both got hurt in the accident that happened due to the tire blowing up while I was easily doing a 120 km/hr. I guess we were lucky to get away with just this much." Ruka said softly, but Natsume was not fooled. Ruka was furious and if he could have, he would have gone after the ones who had caused thisright now.

"So you were the target, and Mikan happened to be with you." Natsume said cooly. His voice also would make someone think that he was calm. They'd be wrong.

"Yes." and for the first time, despair showed in Ruka's face.

"She'll be fine." Natsume said gently.

Ruka just nodded.

* * *

**Three weeks Later: **

Mikan scowled at Natsume and Ruka.

"I am fine. Honestly." she snapped at them, using her phone.

"We know." they answered in unison. Mikan gave them an exasperated look. Ever since she had woken up hurting all over, it seemed she had gained two new shadows. They literally dogged her heels. She knew she loved them both, but it was hard to remember that right now. It was one thing to drop her to school (after a lot of pleading and puppy dog eyes since they did not want her to go at all) and pick her up but instead they both came to school with her.

Mikan's temper rose, as she saw the horde of fan girls outside her class and the fact that Chitose was trying really hard not to laugh. Natsume and Ruka were both lounging in her classroom as if they owned it. For heaven's sake. Neither of them seemed to have a care in the world.

When her homeroom teacher came, Mikan thought that she would finally make them leave, or something. She was dead wrong. The teacher was really new, having joined after the boys had graduated and now she was _flirting _with them. That was the last straw. Mikan slammed her hand down on her desk, and stood up. She swung her still unopened bag on her shoulder and strode out of the class.

"You cannot leave in the middle of class Miss Sakura." the teacher snapped at her.

Mikan turned back in the doorway. She noticed that Ruka was shaking with silent laughter while Natsume had an infuriating smirk.

"Watch me!" she snapped angrily before heading out leaving dumbstruck silence behind her. It was the first time ever she had spoken in school. Natsume and Ruka, both openly grinning now, followed her out. Ruka gave Chitose a smile before he left. She was the only one who did not look shocked since Mikan had already told her that her voice had come back.

They caught upto Mikan halfway down the corridor. Natsume threw his arm around her shoulders. All three of them completely ignored the fan girls.

"Don't be mad." he said with a soft chuckle.

Mikan shrugged his hand off, then winced at the shooting pain in her arm. It was still healing. She saw Natsume's worried look and the guilt that flitted across Ruka's expression and stopped. She smacked them both, and then gave them a small smile.

"Lets go home." she said with a dramatic sigh and was rewarded by a smile, even from Natsume.

* * *

**That Evening: **

Mikan was sitting in a rocking chair in the library. As annoyed as she had been with Natsume and Ruka's constant badgering, she realized that now when they were gone she missed them. They were just in the next room, discussing something with Grandfather. They'll be back soon, she reassured herself.

She had no idea what was about to happen, and if she had had any clue, she would not have parted from them for even one second.

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**Author Note: I am sorry for leaving a cliffy-ish ending. I plan on updating soon though. I hope this chapter isn't too abrupt or anything. It just came to me and I really want to get to the next part in the story so that might be showing through. **

**Thanks a lot for reading and do REVIEW!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

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**I hope that you guys like this chapter and I will update soon :) **

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"Are you out of yourmind?" Natsume snapped angrily.

"If you will listen to me for one minute..." Narumi said calmly.

"We went over this before. Not. Gonna. Happen." Ruka said coldly.

"Fine!" Narumi yelled in frustration. "Let her die then!" he snapped dropping into a chair.

"Nothing will happen to Mikan." Natsume growled.

"We'll make sure of that." Ruka finished.

"The same you both protected her the last two times?" Narumi said angrily. Both Ruka and Natsume looked as if he had slapped them.

Narumi sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. "Just listen please." he said.

Finally Natsume and Ruka sat down side by side, their eyes fixed on Narumi.

"Look, to anyone who sees us, Mikan is the obvious weakness. It does not always mean violence either. What if someone tries to make her their bride? Thats a sure way to become a part of the Hyugga family and many will try to use it. What will you do? How will you explain to her that any guy who likes her is in it for the money? What will that do to her self worth? You talk about protecting her. Its not just bullets that she needs to be protected from. She has had the ability to speak for how long now? and yet today was the first time she ever spoke in school. She is too dependent on the both of you. This way she will never be able to make a life of her own."

"I love Mikan. I really want her to grow into herself. With the two of you protecting hr at every turn, she will never be able to become her own person. It might be fine now if she depends on you, but what happens when you get families of your own? Won't she be lonely? and what if she wants a family? But since you held her back, she is never even able to take what or whom she wants?"

Narumi sighed again, but he knew he had gotten to the boys. They knew what he said was the truth.

"Its not even just about Mikan needing you. You both, especially you Natsume, need her just as much if not more than how much she needs you. She makes you feel as if some part of your past is still safe and alive. I know you love her, care for her and want to protect her more than anything, but if she does not learn to protect herself then isn't that leaving her really vulnerable? You cannot honestly say that you will always be there for her." Narumi said softly.

Ruka flinched while Natsume scowled. They were both thinking how their parents had suddenly left them. No they could not say that they would be there forever.

"Isn't it good for her to learn to stand on her own? The place we wish to send her to is the best boarding school in the country. It will give her a fresh start. There will be no memories there, and no one will know that she could not speak in the past and she would have to start talking. Its not like we are throwing her out. She can comeback during the holidays. The only one she should have no contact with is you two. The rest of us will be there for her."

"She will never agree." Natsume said coldly.

"She will agree if you convince her." Toushrou Hyugga spoke for the first time. "Or are you so insecure and need her so much that you are willing to sacrifice her life for it?"

"Why are you doing this?" Ruka whispered in a tortured voice.

"We are doing this because we do not want to see that child hurt. If she is not here she will not be in the eyes of our enemies, if she is away from the two of you, she can finally become the person that she is. Can neither of you even trust in her to still care for you even if you stay out of touch for a few years? You really have no faith in her." Toushrou said coldly.

Natsume flinched, but then looked straight into the eyes of his grandfather.

"Let me get this straight. You want me to convince Mikan to go to some secluded school where she will be safe and then stay out of touch with her until graduation. I am not allowed to speak with her in anyway whatsoever, or see her at all. Neither is Ruka."

"Yes." came the prompt reply.

"Can we at least send her presents?" Ruka snapped angrily.

"Of course, even birthday cards, we're not trying to hurt you." Narumi said kindly. Both Ruka and Natsume laughed without humor at that.

"Too late for that." Natsume said coldly when he chocked back his dry laughter.

"I will convince Mikan, and from then on I will not see her for the next four years. But get this straight _grandfather, _after this you will never ever again interfere in our personal lives. Am I clear?" Natsume said in a voice that promised hell if his word was not followed.

Toushrou nodded.

"Dont even think of finding loopholes. In this case keep the law in spirit, not just in words." Ruka added, his voice just as icy as Natsume's.

They both stood up and left the room.

Narumi looked at Toushrou. "They will not forgive this." he stated.

"No but this is for their own good. Mikan and Natsume need to learn to live without each other, or at least Mikan needs to know that she can live without him. If she sees no life but the one he gives her, she will never know what the world has in store for her." Toushrou said with a sigh.

"It is rare to see you worry about someone without any ulterior motives." Narumi observed drily.

"Mikan's father was my son's best friend as you know. He was disowned because he helped my son escape. His life could have been much better than it was but he still made the most of it. It was a horrible accident in which he and his wife Yuka died, and it was a sheer miracle that Mikan survived. I saw her, before Shou took her in, and she had empty eyes. That was why I made sure it was Shou who became her guardian. I knew that my son was kind and loving where I was not. f anyone could bring life into her eyes, it would be him. I just don't want her to depend on one person so much again that if anything happens to them, she again gets that look in her eyes." Toushrou said in a rare bout of honest affection.

"You actually care for Mikan." Narumi said surprised.

"I think I am insulted by the surprise in you tone. I have no experience in loving someone, but I do know that I value the well being of these kids above anything else." Toushrou said coldly. Then he stood up and left, leaving Narumi to work out his own thoughts.


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**cj-the-greatest **

**natsumeslover**

**Author Note: I am sorry for the short chapter but well it seemed to end here. Anyways, please review! and don't hate me coz its going to be a sad few chapters now. Oh and I named the school alice academy coz c'mon.. no other name would work here.. but this is just a school. The school holds no real importance. **

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Mikan watched as her things were loaded into the truck. They would be waiting for her in her room unpacked before she even arrived at the campus day after tomorrow. Without thinking about it, she shifted closer to Natsume, and slipped her hand in his. His grip was tight but gentle at the same time. He was shaking.

"It will be alright. I will see you in holidays, and maybe you can visit on weekends." Mikan murmured reassuring him as well as herself.

To her surprise Natsume said nothing. He just stood there, silent as a statue. The next day passed in a blur of last minute preparations and before they knew it, it was her last night in the mansion for a while. Mikan looked around her room, feeling desolate. Most of her things were still here but quite a few head been sent to the hostel. She felt dread as cold as ice settle inside her. She knew something was very wrong with this picture. Natsume would never have asked her to go somewhere, yet now he had and she was scared.

Before she could stop herself, she ran to Natsume's room. He was sitting on the floor, his back resting against the bed, and his face was in his hands. When he saw Mikan he just opened his arms for her and she ran straight into them. Natsume hugged her tightly.

He stayed up that entire night, watching her sleep, committing everything to memory. It had been Ruka's idea to not tell Mikan in advance. Natsume nodded to himself on that, it had been a good idea. He could not have Mikan feel the same dread he felt.

Mikan opened her eyes, and seeing him still awake scowled. Then she grabbed the blankets and covered him with them, and slipped closer to him.

Natsume's eyes widened and then finally he relaxed. His arms around her, wondering when the little girl had started consoling him back.

* * *

Next morning Mikan scowled as she realized that Natsume was not going to come with her to her new school. It was Uncle Narumi who was going to drop her off. She turned to Natsume to ask him to come, but was caught off guard by the expression of pain on his face. The words died in her throat. If she asked it would only hurt him more.

Natsume cleared his expression with an effort. Then he hugged Mikan tightly, and whispered something in her ear. She had no idea how important those words would be to her in the coming four years.

Natsume watched the car leave, his expression stoic but his heart heavy. Ruka was already back in Norway, and he was here alone. Oh how completely life sucked.

* * *

Mikan could barely see for the tears blurring her vision. She had held it together at the mansion for Natsume, but now she was free to cry.

"Its not so bad Mikan." Narumi said softly.

"_Don't _say stuff to me, that _you _don't believe." Mikan snapped.

Narumi looked at her in surprise.

"I know that you are all hiding something from me. You don't need to lie." Mikan said coldly.

"I am not lying. Its not so bad really." Narumi said in a soothing voice.

Mikan looked away refusing to talk to him for the rest of the way. Mikan was still silent when they came to her new school, Alice Academy.

After all the formalities were done, Narumi took Mikan to her dorm room. All her things were already unpacked and she realized that there were a few things here that she had not packed at all. She opened her mouth to point it out then closed it. There was only one person who could have done this and he would not want Narumi to know.

"Do you need anything else?" Narumi asked her.

Mikan shook her head.

"You need to speak more Mikan. Here no one will treat you different, in fact no one has any idea that you were not able to speak before." Narumi admonished gently.

Mikan sighed. "I'll be fine uncle, and I can speak when its needed."

Narumi nodded satisfied, and then he left. Mikan watched as he left her room, and then she went to check out the huge fluffy black stuffed dog that was on her bed. She found a note hidden in his collar and just as expected it was from Natsume.

"So you can sleep better.

-N"

was all it said but it brought tears to her eyes.

Mikan climbed into bed and hugged her new stuffed toy. Tears that she had held back ever since Natsume had asked her if she would want to go to boarding school now finally came free. Why had he made her leave.. he promised that he would always be there, then why was she alone now?

Mikan whimpered, but then she wiped the tears away. What Natsume had said as he had hugged her just before she had left giving her strength.

"No matter what, I will always love you." she whispered his words again, and then squared her shoulders. She was important to him, and so she would take better care of herself. Even if she did not know what was going on, she was not going to cower and weep. Natsume had taught her better than that.


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Author Note: I am on a writing spree and I want to write at least one more chapter tonight, so do forgive me for not saying thanks and what not. I'll do it later. Of course do review, I mean I should get something for posting more than 3 chapters in 2 days. **

**Also this chapter might seem a bit abrupt. Its just that I can't make it smoother. Its like, i have these images and I have to put them here but they don't seem to begoing together too well. Basically even though I have to explain it, I don't like the whole separated and sad part either :( **

**

* * *

**

"So Christmas break starts tomorrow." Kia said with a bright smile.

Mikan smiled back and after a long time it was filled with real warmth. "I can't wait to get back home!" she said excitedly.

"Want to see Natsume-sempai?" Kia said laughing.

"Yup!" Mikan grinned impishly. She hadn't had any contact with Natsume for the last 3 months. Ever since she had come here. But when she went back, he would be there.

"Well knowing him, he might be here to pick you up tomorrow." Kia said, breaking into Mikan's thoughts.

"Maybe." Mikan said downplaying the hope that had blossomed. Kia just laughed more at her expression. Mikan was glad that Kia was here. They had been friends at her previous school until Kia had left it and come here since her parents had left the country. Now after a year they were together again. Having someone who knew Natsume to talk to made Mikan feel a lot better.

* * *

All the hope and excitement that filled Mikan as she headed to the door of the academy the next morning left her face as she saw who it was who had come to pick her up.

Narumi frowned as Mikan's face fell at the sight of him.

"Hi Mikan!" he said brightly ignoring her gloomy expression. Mikan sighed and gave him a small wave, but that was all the response he got from her until they reached the mansion. Without a word to anyone Mikan headed upstairs, but Narumi stopped her.

"Natsume's not here." he told her in a kind voice.

Mikan whirled around.

"He went to visit Ruka in Norway. They are spending Christmas there." Narumi watched as Mikan's face lost all color, but then she turned back and went upstairs. From then on she took her meals in her room, and only stayed in the library and garden when no one else was there.

After a week of this Misaki stopped her in the garden.

"Mikan stop doing this." Misaki said angrily.

Mikan gave him a blank look.

"This is why you had to be separated. If you are going to act like this, it will be even harder to... " he stopped as if he realized that he had said too much.

Mikan left him. This time though she went to Natsume's room rather than her own. It was exactly the way she remembered it. She sat down on his bed, her eyes slowly filling with tears. So they had been separated on purpose, and Natsume had known about this. He had known but he hadn't told her.

She remembered how he had looked the night before she had left. The raw pain in his face when he had watched her leave. It all made sense now, but she still wanted to beat them both for lying to her. She had no doubt that Ruka had known as well.

Even as the tears started falling, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. There was something stuck in the door of Natsume's cupboard. She stood up and opened the cupboard. Inside she saw a beautifully wrapped box.

She brought it back to the bed and opened it. Inside were two scarves. One a jade green with silver embroidery all over, and the other a deep red, with a golden embroidered border. Underneath the scarves was a small box. Mikan took it out with shaking fingers and opened it. She gasped.

In the box were two pairs of earrings. One pair of earrings was exactly like the one that Natsume wore, except while his had rubies in them, Mikan's had emeralds, which matched her new scarf perfectly. The other were simple red coral studs. Simple but exquisite. She was about to close the box when she saw a small paper was folded into it on the side. She opened it.

She could not stop the tears that fell from her eyes on seeing the two sentences. One was in Natsume's handwriting while the other was in Ruka's.

"I am glad you found these. Sorry." Natsume had written in green ink.

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Mikan." Ruka had written underneath in red ink.

Mikan murmured a series of insults for them even as she hugged the note. She had no idea how long she stayed in his room, but it was dark when she left, taking her presents with her. She came back soon and placed the christmas present she had gotten Natsume in his cupboard. Then she went and placed Ruka's present in his cupboard. They'd see her gifts whenever they came home.

_Home, _she snorted. They had been effectively betrayed by the people who lived in this _home. _

The next day was christmas and Mikan acted normal. Well as normal as she could be, but she did not avoid the family, and neither did she give them murderous looks. Everyone decided it was an improvement. She gave them all presents, and she received hers. None interested her. She knew that the green things had been from Natsume while Ruka had sent the red ones, so there were no other presents that they had sent which she could receive under the eyes of Narumi, Misaki and Grandfather.

Two days after Christmas, Mikan went back to school. She had no wish of spending New Year's here as well. At least this way, Natsume might come home.

She knew he was in Japan, with Ruka. There was no way that the two of them would not visit aunt Kimiko on New Years, and even if she could not be with them, she would not be the reason why they would not be able to visit her either. Mikan had visited Natsume's mom on christmas. Now she knew that as soon as everyone was sure that she was back in school, Natsume would come back to the mansion and then he and Ruka would spend quite a while with Kimiko in her hospital room.

* * *

Two days later, Natsume stood in his room, holding the watch Mikan had left for him in his cupboard. There had been no note with it, but he knew that she had been crying, since the tear drops had marked even the surface of the wrapping paper she had used.

He sighed softly. Three and half years more.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**natsumeslover**

**chainedheart999 **

**Thanks guys, I know its hard to leave more than one review when you read the chapters at the same time but I am so glad that you did that :) **

**So with this I have finished the bad four years. I had to end this. Anyways, do REVIEW! Please. **

**Now it might be a while (max. a week) before I update. I think this was a lot. feeling exhausted now. But then again you never know, if I go on another spree... who knows :) **

**Happy Reading!**

**

* * *

**

"Are you sure about this Mikan?" Kia asked uneasily.

"Of course I am." Mikan replied.

"But I mean.. this is graduation. You should have invited your family. Its still tomorrow. If you call them, they might be able to make it still." Kia hedged.

"No way in hell." Mikan answered but Kia could see that Mikan was hurt.

"Come on sweetie, you know you want them here." Kia said putting her arm around her friends's shoulder.

Mikan turned to her and her eyes were swimming in tears. Every holiday she had gone home, and every time Natsume and Ruka had not been there. She had found presents in Natsume's room, but there had been no notes. No nothing. Not a word for the last four years except for two single sentence notes. How could she ask them to come for graduation? If Natsume and Ruka were not there again, she would not be able to stand it. She'd rather that she did not invite anyone, then be disappointed like that again.

Kia hugged her. For the last four years she had seen how each time she had been disappointed, Mikan had stood up again and pushed it away. It seemed though that even she had her limits.

* * *

**Next Morning (Day of Graduation):**

"YO! SAKURA!" someone called. Mikan looked around and groaned.

"What do you want?" she asked coldly.

The group of girls that had stopped her just smirked, while their leader, a girl named Sumi raised her hands in mock surrender.

"Look we just wanted to know when your uncles are getting here. We wanted to pictures with them." she said easily.

Mikan rolled her eyes and besides her Kia choked back a laugh. It was the morning of their graduation and just one hour was left till the ceremony, yet here they were being stopped by girls for this reason.

"Look I already told you I find it disturbing that you try and hit on my uncles, but you still pester me." Mikan said coldly.

"They don't look their age." Sumi pouted.

Kia laughed out loud this time. When Mikan glared at her, she raised her hands in surrender. "I just was trying to imagine what they would say if they ever met.." she stuttered to a stop before saying Natsume or Ruka's name.

Mikan it seemed was in no mood for jokes. "I did not invite my family." she said coldly.

Everyone but Kia stared at her stunned.

"Are you mad?" one of the girls said.

Mikan rolled her eyes.

"Dunno about mad or not but she is a liar." said another one.

Mikan raised an eyebrow.

The girl shrugged, "Look behind you."

Mikan turned and felt her jaw drop in shock. Misaki was holding the door for Grandfather as he got out of the car. Narumi got out on the other side, and then he noticed her and gave her a wave. No one else stepped out of the car and they started walking towards her. Mikan felt tears slide down her cheeks.

She was about to turn away in disgust when a car screeched into the compound. She stared at it with wide eyes as it surfed to the parking spot right next to Grandfather's car. It was a black Aston Martin Vanquish that she had never seen before but she would recognize that driving anywhere.

Kia let out a low whistle next to her. From Mikan's expression she had a pretty good idea about who was going to step out of that car, and true enough, Natsume sempai stepped out. He was wearing dark pants, a black silk shirt that was untucked, and had the top three buttons open, and a formal looking black jacket over it. On anyone else it might have looked really formal but he made it look casual, especially with his ponytail and bangs, as well as the earrings.

Mikan stared at him, afraid it was a dream, then someone next to her whispered, "He is _fiiiine_!" on a dreamy sigh and she came out of her reverie. Natsume had come around the car and was now watching her. His look was wary as if afraid of her reaction. He also seemed a bit shell shocked. She had wanted to rant. So many times she had thought up all the insults she knew and hurled them at him in her thoughts, heck she had even made some new ones to throw at him, yet now when he was finally in front of her she could think of nothing.

Without thinking Mikan took a step towards him, then another, and another, and then she was running towards him as fast as she could, and then she had literally thrown herself into his arms.

Natsume's eyes widened in shock as Mikan (when in heaven had she grown so big?) threw herself into his arms and hugged him for all she was worth. He was barly able to stop them both from falling to the ground and then held her just as tightly. When Mikan finally let go, she was crying and laughing at the same time. Natsume smiled and wiped the tears away.

Mikan gave him a brilliant smile, pulled her hand back and threw a punch for all she was worth. Natsume's head snapped back from the force of it. Near them, Misaki and Narumi burst out laughing, and even Grandfather seemed very entertained.

Natsume straightened. Mikan was still in his arms, though she was taller than what he was used to, and there were other changes that he refused to consider, but she was here. And she was laughing, for that alone, he would take many punches gladly.

To Mikan's shock, instead of even glaring at her, Natsume just hugged her again. She laughed as he lifted her off the ground. She had missed him so much and it seemed she wasn't the only one.

"I missed you." she told him softly as she stroked the jaw she had just punched. A bruise was forming and she was already sorry that she had hurt him. Natsume grinned.

"I am just glad that I have you back." he told her easily, and then he moved besides her, his arm wrapped possessively around her waist as he led her to Grandfather and Uncle Narumi and Misaki.

She got hugs from all three, even grandfather.

"You should have invited us." Grandfather told her with a small frown.

"I did not want my hopes dashed again." she replied and he had the grace to look ashamed. But then Mikan gave him another hug.

"If you want to make it on time, we should leave now Mikan." said Kia from behind them. Behind her Mikan could see the other girls still gaping. She ignored them and nodded to Kia. Then taking Natsume's hand she led them to the main hall.

* * *

"Where is Ruka?" Mikan asked Natsume as they walked. They were walking in the back of the group. In front of them, Narumi was talking to Kia while Misaki listened to something Grandfather was saying.

Natsume smirked. "He wanted to be here so bad.. but there was a blizzard and his flight got cancelled. He camped at the airport for two days straight but the weather hates him."

Mikan frowned. "Poor Ruka." she murmured.

"Poor him my b... " Natsume glanced at Mikan, and switched, "he's fine. I mean yeah he really wanted to come and all but... well lets just say he found recompense."

Mikan raised an eyebrow in a gesture so like his own that Natsume smiled and almost hugged her again.

"It seems he fell in love with someone at the airport. While he was camped there willingly, she was stranded because of the blizzard and had no where to go. Kind of. So well, he is playing knight in shining armor. Here." Natsume flicked his phone out and called his best friend, and handed the phone to Mikan.

Ruka answered on the fourth ring. "You at her school yet?" Ruka snapped into the phone. Mikan felt tears fill her eyes again, but she could not manage to speak.

"Mikan?" Ruka whispered on the other side. Mikan nodded, then chuckled.

"I missed you so much. You're both horrible." she murmured into the phone around sobs.

"Sweetie I missed you too. Lots and lots, and Natsume was so miserable that just being around him was torture. Trust me, since he stayed with me a lot, I was really well punished." Ruka said with a weak attempt at humor.

Mikan sniffed. "I punched him."

Ruka was silent for a moment but then he laughed so hard that even Natsume could hear him.

"Good for you!" he gasped finally.

Mikan nodded to herself. "I'll ask him to punch you for me when you get back. He barely has a bruise, so mine was not too effective and my knuckles hurt." she told Ruka sagely and heard him gasp in horror.

_Good. _

"Love you Ruka! But I have to go now. Ceremony about to start. I'll talk to you soon... " then her voice petered out as she realized she did not know if she would be allowed to stay in touch... but Natsume gave her a nod, so she continued, "Have fun." she said brightly before hanging up.

Natsume smiled and she took his hand as he walked with her into the hall.


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**natsumeslover **

**chainedheart999**

**Msdgirl**

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**xoxcutelilangelxox **

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**mai-chaan7**

**Author Note: Okay so even though i said no update for a while... well here it is. Thanks for reading, and do REVIEW! I am going away to nurse a headache now. Oh and this time I really will not be updating for a while. Or so I think. sigh...**

* * *

**EDIT: I forgot to put this here before.. and i had even promised i would.. anyways since i dont feel like adding it into the story: **

**Mikan is 18 years old. **

**Natsume and Ruka are 24 years old. **

**Misaki and Narumi are roughly the same age as Natsume's dad. I'll leave that there. Dont feel like calculating any more. **

* * *

Mikan fidgeted in her seat. Narumi and Misaki tried hard to hide their smiles but she noticed anyways.

"Stop smirking!" she told them haughtily.

Narumi chuckled.

"Since you are done eating, I guess you can leave as soon Natsume is done." Misaki told her. They were having lunch together after the ceremony and it was _very _obvious that Mikan wanted to leave with Natsume so that they could catch up.

Natsume, who had raised his chopsticks to take a bite, placed them back down, and stood up.

"Lets go." he said easily and Mikan jumped to her feet. She held his hand, her face glowing with happiness as they left the restaurant.

Narumi sighed. "Considering we could not make her laugh even once, and him even smile in the last four years, and how happy they have been as soon as they were together again, I feel awful for separating them."

"It did them good." Toushrou said calmly.

Misaki raised an eyebrow.

"Trust me. It did them a lot of good." and there was no mistaking the speculative gleam in his eyes.

* * *

Natsume led Mikan to his car.

"So where do you wanna go?" he asked as he got in on the driver's side.

"Dunno. There are so many places I want to show you. So many things to tell you. How have you been?" Mikan asked.

Natsume smiled slightly, and then he drove them to his hotel.

Mikan raised an eyebrow at his choice.

"We can talk and there is room service." he said with a grin as he opened the door for her.

Mikan chuckled.

When they entered his suite, Mikan threw her bag on the couch, and then twirled around happily. Natsume shrugged out of his jacket watching her with amused eyes. She was taller, her hair longer, and he could no longer call her a little girl. He might, just to annoy her, but she was not a child anymore.

Then she turned to him and gave him a smile that had not changed even one bit over the years and he could not help but smile back.

Then she flopped down on the couch and he sat down next to her. He watched as she slipped her sandals off and then sat cross legged facing him.

"So what have you been doing these years?" she asked in a normal voice but Natsume had noticed the slight hitch in her voice over the word "years".

He leaned back, sad for the loss.

"Finished my degree, and then got another one while working for Grandfather. You really did not miss much. I was apparently very scary and always in a bad mood." he told her in a non committal voice.

"You never got a girlfriend?" Mikan asked.

Natsume snorted. "Do I look mad? I am so not letting any crazy chick close to me."

Mikan rolled her eyes, though in case of Natsume, he really was not exaggerating. Women tended to go crazy near him. A LOT.

"What about you? Please tell me you do not have a boyfriend." Natsume said, his pose still casual but he seemed edgy.

"Well there is this one guy, and we did.." Mikan paused.

Natsume scowled at her.

"What did you do?" he asked trying to keep his voice normal.

Mikan laughed. "You look like you want to kill the poor guy. We did nothing. He asked me out, and we went on a few dates and that was it. Then he left the country."

"Good." Natsume relaxed back. Mikan poked his shoulder.

"What if we had... you know..." she asked trying hard to hold back her giggles.

Natsume gave her a long suffering look. "I would have to kill him and you would be the one to blame."

Mikan pouted, but then shrugged. "Actually I never told him about you. I met him when I was seriously ticked about not seeing you. Come to think of it, that was why I said yes, I thought he could keep my mind off things. It didn't really work and I knew he could tell that I was always thinking of something else. Maybe I should have told him the trouble he could get into for asking me out."

"Oh well whatever, there is still so much I have to tell you. Good thing I kept a journal." Mikan said with a grin.

"Journal?" Natsume asked.

"Well its more than one book... Everytime I wanted to talk to you, or show you something, I would write in there, and also take a picture and stick them in. So i guess it even counts as a picture book of sorts. Books." she said and he could see she was somewhat embarrassed.

"How many books Mikan?" Natsume asked.

"I wanted to tell you about things right after they happened so that everything was fresh in my mind and so there is atleast one page for each day and sometimes more than one. Each book is only 200 pages." she said looking down, afraid he would laugh or worse, not care. But to her surprise, he gave her a sweet hug. Then he just pulled her close, his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Thank you. You have no idea how horrible the thought of you forgetting me was." he whispered and Mikan looked at him in shock. She had thought that he had had it easy compared to her, but maybe, he had been just as miserable.

"I thought you might be sick taking care of a child." she whispered back. "I tried really hard to grow up. I can even do Tae-Kwon-Do now."

Natsume's arm tightened. "This was not your mistake. Grandfather believed that you needed to learn... no he thought you needed to be out of my shadow to be your own person. He thought in a way i was suffocating you. If anyone is to blame, its me. I was overprotective, and yet not protective enough." Natsume sighed.

Mikan snuggled closer to him, and then placed a hand on his cheek.

"Not your fault." she said trying to hold back the tears that threatened.

Natsume gave her a small forlorn smile. "I am sorry." he whispered.

Mikan shook her head, and tears spilled down her cheeks. "Not yours." Then she just hugged him, as she could no longer hold her tears back.

Natsume pulled her onto his lap, her face buried in his shoulder, her hands clutching his shoulder as she sobbed. He said nothing, this was because of him. She had trusted him more than anyone else and he had betrayed her. Now all he could do was hope that the damage was not permanent.

When she finally stopped crying, Natsume gave her his handkerchief.

"Better?" he asked gently. Mikan sniffed.

"Promise me you'll never leave me like that again. I can understand if you want to leave me, but... but don't lie again. Please." her voice was ragged.

Natsume flinched.

"I'll never leave you again. I promise." he said, his voice sincere.

"Promise?" Mikan asked him, her lashes still wet from tears.

Natsume smiled. Mikan used to place more trust in his promises than anything else. Somethings hadn't changed at all.

"Promise." he said softly.

Mikan smiled faintly and nodded. Then she laid her head back on his shoulder. "I wish I could show all that to you right now."

"The journals?" Natsume asked, absently rubbing strands of her long hair between his fingers. Mikan nodded.

"Lets go then." he said.

"Guys are not allowed inside the dorms." Mikan said gloomily.

Natsume laughed. "I'll get in. Now c'mon. I am really curious."

* * *

To Mikan's amazement when she went up the dorms and entered her room, Natsume was already there.

"How did you do that?" she asked surprised.

"It is dark outside and you pointed out to me which balcony was yours. Piece of cake." he said with a shrug from where he was lounging on her bed.

"I live on the third floor!" Mikan exclaimed.

"Your point?" Natsume asked. Mikan rolled her eyes. _Right. _

She pulled out the box that had all the journals and plopped it onto the bed and then climbed on and sat next to Natsume. Without thinking about it she grabbed the dog he had given her (packed with her things and sent here) and hugged it.

Natsume plucked the first journal out and gave her a thoughtful look. "You liked it."

"It helped me sleep." she said as moved closer to him.

For the next few hrs. Natsume went over her journals with her. She told him stories and some he read for himself. The pictures amused him, but he found the whole lot of insults that she had worked into her entries hilarious. She had called him every name she could think of, and some he was surprised she knew.

"I was mad." she said with a blush as he chuckled over a particularly nasty one.

"I can tell." he grinned back and she relaxed when she realized he wasn't mad at all.

Then Mikan blushed even more as he stomach growled.

"Dinner." Natsume said with a straight face.

Mikan nodded. "How about pizza?" she asked and then gasped as she realized that it was nearly midnight.

Natsume nodded, and so Mikan called for pizza and then Natsume took her phone after she hung up. She peered over his shoulder to see what he was up to.

"I am just adding my new number to your phonebook." Natsume answered.

Mikan nodded and settled back.

When the pizza arrived she went downstairs to get it at the reception, and then after they were done eating, they went back to talking. Her journals were spread around them, and for the first time Mikan was glad for the large bed. Natsume was lying on his back, while she was sitting cross legged again, talking to him while he played with her hair.

After a while Mikan plopped down and curled up next to him. They still kept on talking, telling stories, sharing jokes, teasing and over all just enjoying the presence of each other. Natsume looked up when Mikan stopped in the middle of a sentence to realize that she had fallen asleep. He chuckled and pulled the comforter over her, and started to get off the bed when he saw that she was holing on to him. He smiled softly, and lay back down, and pulled the comforter over himself too.

It seemed even in sleep she was determined to make sure that he did not leave her.


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

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**Angel Sakura15**

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**

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**

**Author Note: Yes I know I said no updates for a while, but well.. I kinda wrote this and I was like.. I can update a small chapter. No one would mind. Oh well so here it is. a pretty short chappie. But still please REVIEW! **

**oh and thanks for reading :) **

**

* * *

**

**EDIT: I forgot to put this here before.. and i had even promised i would.. anyways since i dont feel like adding it into the story: **

**Mikan is 18 years old. **

**Natsume and Ruka are 24 years old. **

**Misaki and Narumi are roughly the same age as Natsume's dad. I'll leave that there. Dont feel like calculating any more.**

**Oh and Toushrou Hyugga is Natsume's Grandfather and old. I hope old is good enough. I mean really... making me come up with an age for him will just be cruel *pouts***

* * *

"I am sure that they will be at the dorms. Natsume is probably helping Mikan pack." Misaki said as they drove from the hotel to her dorms.

"It is 8 am. Since when are either of them such early risers that they already made their way back?" Narumi retorted worried.

"Calm down. You can panic after we check the dorms. It is lucky that they let even graduating students stay till the official end of the year or we would have no where to check." Misaki answered calmly but he pressed down harder on the accelerator.

When they reached the dorms, they were greeted by the warden.

"We would like to help Mikan pack." Narumi said easily.

The warden looked at him askance then nodded. "Guys are not allowed in the dorms, but you are her uncles so I guess its okay."

"Guys are not allowed in the dorms?" Misaki asked uneasily.

"No. Of course not." she answered as she started leading them to Mikan's room.

Narumi raised his eyebrows at Misaki.

"Whats the point in even..." he started but Misaki shook his head, and he stopped. No harm in checking.

"This is Miss Sakura's room." The warden said in front of the door and then knocked.

"Uh.. thats okay. We can see ourselves in." Narumi said uneasily.

"No. I need to make sure with her that she is okay having you here, and if she really needs any help packing. Usually it is our staff that helps the students with things like that." she replied coldly before knocking a second time.

"Come in!" a sleepy voice called from inside. Narumi and Misaki relaxed marginally. At least they now knew where Mikan was. Now to find Natsume's whereabouts.

The warden opened the door, and Narumi and Misaki followed, and then almost bumped into the warden who stood frozen in horror.

Narumi looked over her shoulder, and sighed in relief.

"Call uncle." he told Misaki, his voice devoid of worry for the first time this morning.

"Ms. Sakura! What is the meaning of this?" the warden snapped. Narumi jumped at the angry tone.

Mikan looked up blearily from where she was snuggled next to Natsume who miraculously was still asleep.

"G'morning warden. I am mostly packed. Just lemme sleep a while more. I was up most of the night." she mumbled, before pulling the blanket over her head.

The warden went beet red, and Misaki moved to a corner of the room on the pretense of calling Toushrou, but Narumi knew he was trying really hard not to laugh. Before the warden could get out of her horrified shock, Narumi steered her out of the room.

"Its nothing like that." he said placating her.

"What sort of an uncle are you?" she retorted.

Narumi smiled, then quickly wiped the expression from his face on seeing her glare. "I am also Natsume's uncle." he said.

"Oh." she said and now she went red again thinking that she had drawn all the wrong conclusions. Narumi shrugged to himself. She had no need to know that Mikan and Natsume really were not related to each other.

Narumi smiled again and this time it was kind.

"They had not seen each other for four years and so that is probably why she snuck him in. They were at the hotel before but she must have wanted to show him something that was here. They are still kids, and I am sure they meant no disrespect." he said in his sweetest voice.

The warden sighed. "It is not like I can do anything. Mikan has graduated and you are her guardian."

"True but i would hate for you to get the wrong idea. In a way Natsume has raised Mikan more than I have." Narumi said easily.

The warden nodded but left without a word. Narumi went back into the room, shaking his head. That was not a clarification he had ever thought he would need to give.

He had expected Misaki to be either still on the phone, laughing, or waking up the two. Instead he was reading something.

"Whats that?" Narumi asked, peering over his shoulder.

"Mikan's journal." he answered as he flipped the page.

"You should not be reading that." - Narumi

"Yeah I know. She wrote them for Natsume." - Misaki

"Them?" - Narumi

"There is a whole series. Just look around. This is probably why they came here last night." - Misaki

Narumi let out a low whistle.

"What are you doing here?" asked an irritated voice from the bed.

They both turned around to see Natsume glaring at them, though he was still lying down.

"We're here to help you guys pack." Narumi said brightly.

"She said most of it was packed. Just take all the boxes. We'll bring the rest in my car." he mumbled and closed his eyes.

"Just when did you go to sleep?" Misaki asked amused.

"6:40 am." Natsume answered.

Misaki and Narumi looked at each other with raised eyebrows. That explained that. Then they busied themselves with taking away all the boxes Mikan had already packed. There wasn't too much stuff, and when they were done, what was left would easily fit in 2 suitcases.

Since Mikan and Natsume had slept through all that, they decided to leave them alone. All they did was leave them a note, before they went downstairs.

The warden met them at the reception.

"What about the other two?" she asked.

"Still asleep." Misaki answered and he realized that it was annoying her.

"I am sure they'll pack the rest of her things when they wake up, and then drive to Tokyo." he said.

"You're leaving them behind!" she said angrily.

Misaki snorted. "Hardly. The way Natsume drives, they'll probably be home before us."

"How is that safe?" she asked.

"The safest place in the world for Mikan is at Natsume's side. He would never let anything happen to her." Narumi answered this time.

"You really should stop worrying." Misaki added.

"How can I not worry? The sweetest girl here, has seemingly turned into a complete rule breaker over night?" she exclaimed.

"Sweetest? Really?" Mikan asked. They all jumped and turned around to see that she was standing there with Natsume.

The warden rolled her eyes. "Forget I said that."

Mikan giggled, then gave Natsume a hug and skipped back to her room.

"You're coming with us?" Narumi asked amazed.

"Of course not. I am going to the hotel to freshen up and grab my things. Then I'll pick her up. I'll see you at home." he said as he left.

"He said home." Misaki said in wonder.

"He definitely said home." Narumi said with beatific smile, and then he hugged the poor warden.

"He hasn't called it home since she left. But he said home again." he said cheerily and then he and Misaki left as well. The poor woman decided to go to her office to clear her head. Mikan had a crazy family and as far as she was concerned, it was a miracle the girl had turned out so well.


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**Fallen-Angel-RM **

**babee-angel **

**chainedheart999 **

**cj-the-greatest **

**natsumelover -** i got 3 reviews from u coz thats the only way u could reply.. hehe.. works for me :) and yes i know what protagonist means =P jeez. and i agree. when u become one, call me into the story too! Please :) I'll settle as a side character as long as I get a guy like Natsume ;)

**yuuki36**

**kara'mel'-chan**

**JadedPixie18**

**A**

**LilBlueBear**

**claracrazed**

**manga-girl-freak**

**() - **humm yeah I gave Natsume longer hair than usual. So from the front its almost the same as the anime/manga, (with bangs) but there is a ponytail in the back. I guess its as long as Tono-sempai's in the manga. Better example - its a lot like Haruka from tactics. Natsume just prefers to keep it tied. I hope this does not ruin anyone's image.

**mai-chaan7**

* * *

**Author Note: Hmmmm I dedicate this chapter mostly to manga-girl-freak. If I hadn't been talking to her, I would not have written all this tonight. But I say mostly because I was already in an awesome mood :) My cousin started reading WC, and he said he liked the start! and I visited my grandma to wish her a Happy B'day :) she's awesome! **

**So when I had a chance to write, and procrastinate, rather than study.. i kinda took it.. yes i know.. i set a bad example.. so just ignore me :)**

**Happy reading and DO Review!**

* * *

"Will you stop pacing?" Narumi asked Mikan testily.

"Nope. He's late!" she said angrily.

"You mean his flight is late." Natsume drawled from where he was leaning against a pillar.

"Same difference!" Mikan scowled, as she kept on pacing. When she next passed him, Natsume caught her, and picked her up.

"I. Am. Not. 10. Any. More." she said coldly and deliberately.

"If you act like one, you get treated like one." Natsume said easily, and he grabbed her wrists in his hand, before she could throw a punch at him.

"Will you stop molesting her already!" said an amused voice.

"RUKA!" Mikan screamed and jumped from where Natsume was holding her and ran to hug him. Ruka laughed and grabbed her in a bear hug, and then twirled her around a few times, lifting her cleanly off her feet.

"I take it you missed me?" he said with a sweet smile when he finally let go.

"Of course I did!" Mikan said giving him another hug. He chuckled, then Natsume was there and they high fived.

"You still want me to punch him?" Natsume asked Mikan, amused.

Mikan stared doubtfully at him for a moment then shook her head.

"Pity." Natsume said with a mock sigh and Mikan laughed and then dropped a kiss on his jaw where she had punched him a few days ago. Then she twirled around Ruka and came to stand in front of the girl who had come with him.

"Mikan Sakura." Mikan said with a brilliant smile as she extended her hand. The girl smiled back. "Hotaru Imai" she said and then shook Mikan's outstretched hand.

Ruka grinned and then introduced Hotaru to Narumi and Natsume. It turned out that even though her parents were initially from Japan, this was her first visit here, and her Japanese was not very good. She was here as an exchange student and had become friends with Ruka at the airport where she had been stranded because of the blizzard.

It seemed that Ruka hadn't told her how much he liked her yet.

Mikan and Natsume exchanged evil looks. Ruka would be painfully easy to harass now.

* * *

"You say one thing to Hotaru, and I swear Natsume, i'll tell Mikan exactly what you have been upto these four years." Ruka snapped as Natsume teased him about telling Hotaru how Ruka felt about her.

Mikan's eyebrow rose. "What has he been up to?" she asked.

Ruka smirked. "He told you nothing?"

Natsume scowled, but before he could threaten more, they were joined by Hotaru and Narumi in the living room. It had been 2 hrs since they had come back from the airport, and while Hotaru had probably taken a nap, the only break Ruka got was when he went for a shower. Other than that, someone would have to use pliers to remove Mikan from his side. And Natsume was just as stuck to Mikan's other side.

"You grew up to be really clingy." Ruka grouched and immediately Mikan let go of him. He sighed and then wrapped his arm around her.

"I'm kidding silly." he said sweetly. Mikan sighed.

"Its gonna take a while, isn't it?" she said unhappily.

"We'll manage." Natsume said quietly, his grip tight on her hand. Mikan smiled faintly at him.

Narumi cleared his throat, and got glares from the three. Hotaru chuckled.

"I am worried that we are boring our guest." Narumi said ignoring them.

"Please. I am fine. I know how excited Ruka was to see his family and so I do not mind at all." she said sharing a sweet look with Ruka. Mikan and Natsume shared a smirk.

"Actually, since you guys don't seem to be tired, how about we give Hotaru a tour of the city?" Mikan asked.

Natsume nodded, and Ruka rolled his eyes. "Its up to you Hotaru. She has decided I am not tired and so I cannot be tired."

Hotaru agreed and so they all left in Natsume's car. Mikan rode shotgun while the other two sat in the back. It took a lot of effort for Mikan to not giggle when she saw that Ruka was holding Hotaru's hand, and even though she was looking out the window, there was a small blush on her cheeks.

* * *

Mikan smiled a little as she lay on her back on the grass, watching the sky.

"Whats so funny?" Natsume asked as he sat down next to her. Ruka was off giving Hotaru a tour of the University while these two were waiting for them outside in the grounds.

"Seeing Ruka like this. I just.. kinda.. wasn't expecting things to have changed, you know. I guess in a way though i grew up, my outlook was that of a 10 year old.. and so I... um... seeing him in love.. well, its just a shock. A good one, but it still feels.." she stopped at a loss for words.

"Different?" Natsume supplied.

"Yes! different." Mikan agreed.

"Different good or different bad?" Natsume asked.

"Good, I think." Mikan said softly.

Natsume said nothing for a while, and Mikan wondered if the conversation was over.

"Its different to see you all grown up too. I know you were 14 when I last saw you, but you were a brat. Now.." Natsume sighed.

"Now what?" Mikan asked sitting up.

"Now I get to glare at other guys when they stare at you." he said off handedly, but Mikan could see it bothered him.

"So you did.. I am not what you were expecting?" she said trying to hide the hurt. Natsume scowled at her.

"You are what you are. I just never realized how much you might have grown, or that you'd become such a lady rather than the tomboy you used to be. It does not mean that I don't like you, baka. Its just that, as you said, it'll take time." then he smiled wryly, "I'll probably know you inside out again as soon as I am finished with the journals."

Mikan smiled slightly but Natsume could see she was still bothered.

He sighed but before he could say anything, Ruka and Hotaru were back, and then all four of them headed home.

* * *

That night, Mikan jumped at the knock on her door. When she opened it, she was surprised to see Natsume standing there.

"Hey?" she greeted but it came out as a question.

Natsume smiled softly. "Can I come in?"

Mikan nodded and stepped aside. Natsume went in and sat down on the couch he liked that she had pushed against a wall. Mikan sat down on the bed, and hugged the huge stuffed dog he had given her all those years ago.

Natsume's smile turned sad.

"I figured we needed to finish our talk." he said gently.

Mikan nodded, though he noticed the tightening of her shoulders. She did not want to do this.

"I don't hate you for changing Mikan. Everyone changes with time, and some more than others. Kids grow up a lot faster when you can't see them. You grew up, and i wasn't there. That's entirely my fault. Not yours." he said, his voice still gentle.

He saw the sadness of Mikan's face. "I keep thinking that if you had been there, maybe I would be different, and then maybe things would be less awkward, and you'd like me more." she whispered, not looking at him.

"Somehow I don't think its possible to like you anymore than I already do. You are more precious than anything else." Natsume told her, and he saw her head snap up.

"But you... you left." she said and there were tears in her eyes.

"No Mikan. I did what I had to, to make sure that you were safe." he answered.

"I would be safe even if you talked to me over the phone at least." she said, her voice still filled with hurt.

Natsume shook his head. "Not just from things like that. I needed you to be safe from me. If I was always there, protecting you, it would turn to smothering you. You needed to become your own person, one who could stand on her own, and who did not need me to live." and for a moment his anguish showed on his face. "After what happened to my parents, I understood when Toushrou said that I could not let you be dependent on anyone. Not even me. I am no longer naive enough to believe, I would always be there." he sighed and then gave her a weak smile.

"Seems like a pathetic excuse, huh? But at that time, I was terrified that I would screw up your future. You were always strong Mikan, and we just had to show you that, although the way was extreme. As it turned out, you fared better than me. Guess I needed your scruffy presence even more than I thought." he said trying to make her smile. A single tear slid down her cheek and she hugged her dog tighter.

Natsume leaned his head back. "Things have changed all right. There was a time when holding _me _was something comforting for you."

With a soft cry, Mikan ran into his arms. She hugged him tightly, crying, while he hugged her back. Murmuring utter nonsense that was filled with one thing and one thing alone, how much he cared for her.

Mikan sat in his lap, her feet dangling off the arm of the couch, and she held his right hand in both of hers. Natsume had his left hand wrapped around her shoulders.

"You will never send me away again?" she asked in a hoarse voice. She had cried for nearly an hour before he had been able to calm her down.

"No."

"You will never leave me again?" she asked.

"No. I promise that you will always be able to reach me." Natsume vowed.

"You'll be there." she whispered and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Yes. I'll always be there for you." he murmured. Mikan smiled and then held her hand against his, palm to palm.

"Still so much bigger than mine." she said softly.

"Yours used to look tiny next to mine. So fragile that I was always worried I would hurt you." he answered.

"You taught me how to fight." she retorted.

"Of course I did. That does not mean i want you to be in situation where you'll have to, and I can still be worried." Natsume said then snorted, "Who else can i worry for? Ruka? Damn, in his case, I'd rather worry about his opponents. That angel face gives him unfair advantage."

Mikan giggled "No one knows how bad his temper is." then she smacked Natsume's hand lightly, "You get angry way too easy."

Natsume shrugged. "Whatever."

Mikan giggled again.

"Don't forget, you get underestimated even more than Ruka. Want me to tell Narumi whose bright idea it was to mess with his wardrobe?" Natsume said in mock threat.

Mikan laughed and Natsume relaxed. Anything to get her happy again.

"That seems forever ago!" she said when she finally stopped laughing.

Natsume said nothing. To him it was yesterday, because the days without her blended into each other, until he could not even tell them apart.

"Sleep now?" Natsume asked and Mikan's grip tightened on his hand unconsciously.

"Want me to stay?" he asked easily.

Mikan nodded. Natsume carried her to the bed and tucked her in, then he grabbed an extra blanket and lay down on top of the covers next to her and pulled it over himself. Mikan smiled and took his hand in hers. She was still holding onto him when she fell asleep.


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**yuuki36**

**LilBlueBear **

**A**

**jyouzebin**

**chainedheart999 **

**SuperSmashGirl627 **

**JadedPixie18 **

**manga-girl-freak**

**cj-the-greatest **

**Fallen-Angel-RM **

**Angel Sakura15**

**natsumelover**

**MysticBlood**

**

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**

**Author Note: Okay so first off, Thanks to Manga-girl-freak. I was talking to her and that helped me decide on what direction to give this chapter :) THANKS! **

**Secondly, I am going to Canada for 2 weeks in like 2 more days. So I dunno when I'll be updating next. As an apology, this chapter is extra long! Also its not completely a vacation and so I might update from there, but I don't think that'll happen. But always optimistic *wry smile* thats me. **

**Thanks a lot for reading! and PLEASE REVIEW!**

**

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**

A lot of students stared as the Black Aston Martin Vanquish and a Midnight Blue Lamborghini Gallardo raced into the college, almost neck to neck and then came to screeching halts in front of the administration building. By the time their doors opened almost everyone was staring with their mouth hanging open.

Mikan stepped out of the Vanquish laughing, while Natsume stepped out on the other side. Next to them, Ruka and Hotaru also exited the Lamborghini.

"Pay up!" Natsume called to Ruka who grimaced.

"You will not win next time." Ruka snapped as he handed Natsume his Acer Smartphone Liquid E Ferrari special edition.

"Thats fine." Natsume grinned. "I won't be betting this phone. Ever."

Ruka scowled while Mikan laughed. Hotaru just shook her head and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "boys."

"Anyways, we should head in now." Hotaru said glancing at her watch. Mikan nodded and then waving a goodbye to the boys, they both left. Natsume and Ruka looked at each other.

"Another race?" Ruka asked but his heart was not in it.

"Lets just go to the office. Maybe we can harass Narumi." Natsume said with a shrug, and Ruka nodded in agreement, and then they slipped behind the wheels, and the cars peeled out of the university with the same abrupt speed with which they had entered.

* * *

"Nervous?" Hotaru asked Mikan as they entered the building.

"A bit." she answered honestly.

"Don't worry. University is fun, and I will be here as well." Hotaru said reassuringly.

"You're already in your third year though! You already know how things work." Mikan exclaimed.

"And I will help you if you need it. So will the other two, and even if it is my third year at university, its still my first year here. Also my Japanese leaves a lot to be desired." Hotaru said wrinkling her nose at the end.

Mikan giggled. "I am sure Ruka will love to help improve it."

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "I am sure he would too."

"You don't sound too enthused?" Mikan asked.

Hotaru smiled. "I like him, I just.. don't lose my cool, not really, well.. not until he came around, and now its like I am always showing some emotion or the other."

"If it makes you feel better, even though he is not stoic, he hardly ever showed what he was really thinking. When you're around though, he is more obvious." Then Mikan scowled, "Or maybe things changed in the last four years. I am somewhat out of date."

"Here we are." Hotaru said as they reached the Student Central. "and it did make me feel better." she said over her shoulder as she headed to where the rep for International students was. Mikan was still smiling when she greeted the rep for new students.

* * *

**5 Hours later: **

"Whats up?" Natsume asked as he answered his phone. Ruka glared as he saw that Natsume was already using the _new _phone.

"Uh.. I'll be coming home on my own today." Mikan said uneasily, obviously worried about his reaction.

"Oh?" was all Natsume said and Mikan relaxed a bit.

"Umm yeah, I ran into a few old friends, and made a some new ones, and we were all planning on going out. Is it okay?" Mikan asked, worried again by the end of it.

Natsume chuckled. "I though you called to tell me, not to ask permission."

"Right, but still.. I.." Mikan stuttered to a stop, at a loss for words.

"Its okay Mikan. Go out with your friends and have fun. If you want a ride at the end of it, give me a call. If not, I'll see you at home." Natsume told her, and then with a small goodbye, he hung up.

Mikan sighed in relief.

"I had no idea that you worried that sempai would ever say no to you." Kia said with grin.

"He used to worry about security." she said defensively.

"That was four years ago." Chitose reminded her.

Mikan shrugged.

"Well whatever, now that you have permission," Chitose rolled her eyes, "Lets GO We have so much to catch up on."

Mikan nodded and laughed.

* * *

**Natsume's POV: **

"What was Mikan calling about?" Ruka asked as soon as I hung up.

"She met some old friends and wanted to hang out. So she did not want me to pick her up." I answered.

"There seemed to be more than that." Ruka said coolly.

I shrugged. "She wasn't sure if she was asking me or not. It'll take time. she thinks like a 18 year old, who shouldn't have to ask permission, but her memories of us, are that of a 14 year old, who should. Its leaving her more confused and worried than I'd like."

Ruka frowned. "You're right. Us treating her mostly like a kid isn't helping either."

"I don't know how else to treat her. The space we might give another adult, makes her feel lonely and left out, and I have had enough of her feeling that way." I sighed.

Ruka nodded. "Yeah, did you see how she watches us sometimes, like she is afraid we'd vanish." it wasn't really a question, but I nodded anyways.

"We might have helped one way, but we screwed her up real well in another." I said with a grimace.

"Maybe the damage isn't too bad, and once she is sure that we'll be with her for sure now, she'll become less insecure. I just finished my Masters and so I am not going back to Norway, and since we are both working for Grandfather completely now, we'll be right here." Ruka said hopefully.

"Maybe. I don't know though. I somehow think that we need to do more than just exist close by to fix this. Well whatever, we'll work with what happens, no point in worrying right now." and with that I had ended the discussion.

* * *

**Mikan's POV: **

It was 2 am when I was tired from dancing and starting to think about going home.

I wondered if I should call Natsume or take a cab. Somehow I did not think he would be happy if I took a cab. I sighed and stepped out of the club to call him.

"Mikan?" He answered on the second ring.

"You were still up?" I asked surprised.

"No I am talking in my sleep." He answered sarcastically.

"Thats not what I.. oh never mind. Do you feel like picking me up?" I asked.

"Sure. Where are you?" he said readily.

I gave him the name of the nightclub, and he told me he would call me when he got here. I went back in to let my friends know that I was leaving.

"Will you be okay on your own?" Chitose asked worried.

"Natsume is coming to pick me up." I told her. I wasn't worried about her and Kia since both of them, as well as half the people we were here with lived in Rez (University dorms) and would just go back together.

"In that case, its fine." Kia said with a smile, then she dragged us both on the floor for my last dance for the night. That one dance turned into four and suddenly when I turned, I ran smack into Natsume.

"Time to go!" I said happily and then left with a wave at Kia and Chitose.

"Why didn't you call?" I asked him when we were outside and could actually talk.

"Check your phone." Natsume told me, and I did. I had three missed calls. Oops.

"I did not hear it in the music I guess." I said looking down, and then I shivered. I looked up when he handed me his jacket. I pulled it on, and then zipped it up. It was his favorite leather jacket.

Natsume took my arm and led me to the car. "Don't sweat the little things." he told me. I stopped, and he looked at me.

"Why are you doing this?" I snapped.

"Doing what?" he asked perplexed.

"Being all... all nice, and calm, and.. and.. as if you don't care what I do!" I finished lamely. To my surprise, he picked me up and carried me to the car. I wanted to say something, but the look on his face was scary. I kept my mouth shut. He placed me on my seat and then buckled me in. Then I watched as he strode around the car and slipped into his seat.

The car screeched out of the parking lot and still he said nothing. I felt tears well up in my eyes. I hated the silent treatment. He seemed to remember that too.

"How did you get new clothes?" he asked abruptly.

"I went shopping. I left the clothes I had on in the morning at Chitose's room in the dorms. I'll pick them up tomorrow or sometime." I mumbled.

"I see." was all he said. _Why hadn't I just kept my mouth shut?_

I stared out of the car without seeing anything so I was surprised when we suddenly came to a stop. I blinked a few times and realized that we were a viewing point above the city. I turned to Natsume, obviously confused.

"You seemed like you needed to talk. Here, we can talk undisturbed." he told me, as he turned off the ignition and faced me.

I looked at my lap. He still seemed angry. I was done telling him things. I did not like him angry at me.

"Mikan." he said in that sweet way he had, and inspite of myself I looked up.

He reached forward and unbuckled my seatbelt, and reluctantly I turned to face him as well.

"I was worried. A lot more than you could imagine. Why do you think I was awake when you called? I just wanted you to be able to do what you want. I don't want you to not do something because of how I might react." he said again in that sweet soft tone.

"Why were you angry?" I asked in a small voice.

"It is annoying when I try my damndest to hold back my temper and my worry for your sake, and then you are sad because you think I am not worried about you." he answered.

I felt the tears well up again.

"Why are you crying?" he asked frustrated.

"I am not crying!" I told him as I angrily wiped away the tears.

Natsume just opened his car door and walked over to me. Then he opened my door and pulled me out, and hugged me.

"Of course I was worried. I was worried out of my mind. But I am trying to be good. Trying to give you space. Trying to not smother you. Trying to let you fly. You should not have made me tell you this. How is it doing something for you when now you will know that it is all an act?" he said and his anger and frustration were so obvious that I wondered how he had kept it all under a lid before.

I wrapped my arms around him. "Just tell me when you're worried. Its okay if I can't do things because you said no. Its not okay when I go out and you come there, and you don't even care how revealing my clothes are, or how late it is, or even who I was out with."

I felt Natsume chuckle. "Oh I notice more than you give me credit for. I saw Chitose and Kia in the club, the time mattered a lot, but I was praying you'd call me to pick you up."

I looked up at him and he grimaced. "Yes I noticed the clothes too, as well as how many guys were ogling you. I stood there in the club for a few moments before you ran into me."

I smiled slightly and hugged him again. He sighed. "Next time you want my attention, throw something at me. Its easier, and I wouldn't want to kill someone over it."

I giggled, glad that he could not see the blush on my face.

I felt Natsume chuckle again. "Yeah yeah, you looked great, but that jacket would have been on you even if you hadn't been cold." he told me. I smiled as I stepped away from him. The blush was gone. _Thank heavens. _

"I looked pretty?" I asked him with a grin.

"Yes." he said on a sigh.

"Do I still look pretty?" I asked again and he nodded, failing to see where it was going.

"Then can I keep the jacket? pretty please with strawberries on top?" I asked him sweetly.

He stared at me completely floored. "Its yours." he said with a slow grin spreading on his face.

I smiled happily. "What do you wanna do? I was tired but I am wide awake now." I asked him as I twirled around.

"Lets go home and wake up Ruka. Its been a really long time since we played Rockband." he answered and I grinned.

"LEGO Rockband?" I asked expectantly as I buckled my seatbelt. It had been really long since I had played and I adored the Lego version of the game.

"Sure. How about we do the endless setlist?" he asked and I cheered. Natsume laughed.

* * *

**Ruka's POV: **

I opened my eyes to loud banging on my door. I glanced at the bedside clock and it was 3 am. Someone was so going to die. I got out of bed and yanked open the door and felt my jaw drop.

"What in hell is going on?" I asked as I stared at Mikan and Natsume. Natsume was dressed in the kind of clothes he wore when he went clubbing, while Mikan was wearing his favorite jacket, and whatever she was wearing underneath did not reach far below the jacket. I really hoped she would not take that jacket off when I was around.

"Hurry up!" Mikan said excitedly.

"Slow down!" I said automatically and Mikan rolled her eyes.

"You went clubbing with her?" I said accusingly to Natsume.

"I went to pick her up." he answered coldly.

"So what? Actually that is a good idea, we should all go out this weekend." Mikan said cheerily.

"If you are wearing anything like what you are wearing tonight, no way in hell." I retorted before I could stop myself.

Mikan pouted, and Natsume sighed.

"Mikan, let me talk to this cranky brat. How about you go change? You really cannot be comfortable in that." Natsume said.

Mikan stuck her tongue out at me and then sashayed off. Natsume just moved past me and into my room. Then as I watched, he took off his shirt and threw it on a chair and opened my cupboard. I sighed.

"Will you tell me what is going on?" I asked as I grabbed the shirt I had thrown on the couch before and pulled it on.

"I went to pick her up. She was hurt that I did not look worried enough, that I did not care enough. So I had to show her how worried I really had been. We were not sleepy after that conversation and so we decided on Lego Rockband. It has been a while."

"She thought you were not worried? You were out of your mind, and if it weren't for the jetlag, I would have been there with you." I snapped.

Natsume finally found a t-shirt he liked, and pulled it on.

Then he turned to me. "No she did not know that. How could she? We did not check on her once in four years. How was she supposed to know that we gave a damn now?"

I opened my mouth, then closed it again. He was right.

"Is she better now?" I asked.

"Yeah. She believes it that I do sincerely care. Giving away my favorite jacket helped." he said with a smirk.

"I have been begging for that one for forever." I snapped.

Natsume rolled his eyes. I sighed. "C'mon. Lets get the controllers set up." I told him and he nodded.

"What was she wearing under it?" I asked as we placed the drums in place.

"Not enough." Natsume told me crankily.

"Yeah I am definitely not going to any clubs with her anytime soon. Or maybe on second thoughts, we should always go with her." I said.

"If we go, we'll make her wear more clothes. Its a requirement for us staying sane. Tonight she just wanted to test my patience. All part of how riled up I would get. She is lucky I have more control over my temper than she thinks I do, or quite a few guys there would now be nursing broken bones." Natsume said testily.

I shrugged. I would probably have had the exact same reaction, and my control on my temper was weaker than Natsume when it came to Mikan.

We both looked up at the knock on the door. I opened it and Mikan stood there wearing pajamas.

"Rockband!" she cried happily and Natsume and I grinned. Somethings hadn't changed after all.


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**kara'mel'-chan **

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**A**

**MIKANATSU **

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**

* * *

**

**Thanks also to everyone who wished me a good trip! It has been really good so far. I can't remember the last time I shopped so much :) and meeting my frnds again.. Priceless! Today is the first free day i've had, and of course I am spending it on FF. **

**

* * *

**

**Mikan's POV: **

I waited miserably for the class to be over. It was my last class for the day and I was literally about to drop dead. When I was finally done, I walked out of the class still in a haze. I felt my phone buzz and I checked.

Natsume had replied to my text.

"I am behind the Arts building." was all that he had sent.

Good enough. I switched directions and headed to where he was. His car was pretty easy to spot even for my half dead brain.

He was leaning against it, with his shades on, looking the epitome of cool, calm and collected.

Life was so unfair. Here I was dead tired because I had been reading the book he bought for me till late last night, while he was looking awesome even though he had gone to bed after me, and I was sure he had not slept in either. You did not go to the office late if you worked for Toushrou Hyugga.

I was almost next to the car when I stumbled and someone caught me.

Before I could even straighten, Natsume was there and he had taken me away from the stranger. Then I finally saw who it was and realized it wasn't a stranger at all.

"Tsubasa-sempai!" I said in surprise.

"Hello Mikan." he answered with a grin.

"I had no idea you were back!" I exclaimed and he chuckled. "I had no idea you were here either. I thought you wanted to go to europe for college."

I shrugged. "Things changed."

He glanced at Natsume who had an arm around me and nodded.

"Oh right, Sempai this is Natsume, and Natsume this is Tsubasa sempai." I introduced them but to my consternation neither made a move to shake hands with the other.

"Anyways we should go now. I am dead on my feet, but I'll see you around sempai." I said and then allowed Natsume to open the car door for me and seat me in it. I waved at Tsubasa sempai as we pulled out of the parking lot.

"Who was that?" Natsume asked.

"Remember that guy I told you I dated for a while? That was him." I answered.

"You never said that he was older than you." Natsume scowled.

"What difference does it make? Everyone is older than me." I shrugged.

"I guess. Why isn't he in the journals?" he asked me.

"He was. In the later ones.. and well I might have ripped some pages about him out when he left. I did not like for people to leave me." I grumbled and to my surprise Natsume chuckled.

I just sighed. Somedays I really don't get him.

* * *

**Natsume's POV: **

I watched in amusement as Mikan tried to keep herself awake. She knew that if she fell asleep now, she would wake up in the middle of the night, and that would mess up her whole schedule. So now she was fighting a loosing battle. For the sake of staying awake, she had decided to stay in my office in the mansion, and so while I sat at the desk working on my laptop, she was sitting in the couch, doing something on hers.

I clicked my laptop shut. I was done with everything that needed to be handled today, and Mikan seemed even more asleep than before.

I walked behind her to peek onto his laptop. She had MangaFox open and was reading something. I decided not to find out what, since the page had a guy with a sparkling background. _Yeah, I would not enjoy reading that. _

She turned to stare at me, then "I'm bored _and_ I'm sleepy." she whined.

I chuckled. "Well, what would wake you up? Its already 6, so you only need to be up for a few more hours."

"How about we go out for supper?" she asked me.

"Sounds good. Where?" I asked.

"I dunno. Do I wanna dress up or not is the question." she said with a shrug.

I had moved next to her while we were talking and now I pulled her to her feet.

"How about we go upstairs and decide what you want to wear, and then we can figure out where to go?" I asked and she nodded.

* * *

**Mikan's POV: **

"Natsume, this place is too formal." I grouched.

He rolled his eyes at me. "You decided on that dress and then asked me to take you to a really formal place. We can leave if you want."

"Nah... as long as they have good food, I can stand the stuffy people." I grinned. He chuckled.

"Mikan?" someone called my name and we both turned to see Tsubasa sempai walking towards us. Across the table from me, Natsume had gone expressionless.

"Hi Sempai, its so weird seeing you here." I said as he reached our table.

"Its weirder seeing you here, I thought you hated places like this." he said easily but I scowled.

He raised both hands in surrender, and I shrugged.

"Anyhow, I should leave. I was just on my way out." Tsubasa sempai said and then with a wave he was gone.

I turned back to Natsume and sighed.

"Seeing him bothers you?" he asked quietly.

"Dunno. He.. well we never quite broke up. We went on a few dates, and then he left. So I am just unsure where we stand. I mean, I really hope he does not think we can start where we left off." I answered, and Natsume nodded.

"You ever get annoyed, let me know and I'll tell him off for you." he told me with a straight face.

I giggled. "You don't like him." Natsume shrugged, not answering, and I hadn't expected him to.

The rest of dinner passed quickly and before I knew it we were back on our way home. Natsume shook me awake when the car reached home and I looked at him surprised. How could I have fallen asleep.

"Want me to carry you to your room?" he asked teasingly.

I chuckled, and then allowed him to pull me to my feet. "This is good enough." I said as I took his hand and we walked in. I somehow managed to stumble into my room, and then I pulled off my heels, and dress, grabbed a loose shirt (belonged to Natsume at one point of time) and crawled into bed. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**A - Thanks :) yup having a good time. **

**natsumeslover**

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* * *

**Author Note: So I am still on vacation but it snowed and its cold out, so you guys get an update :) God I really hope the weather improves soon though. So this chapter is something I am a bit unsure about, and it starts quite a few new things. I hope you guys like it, and please tell me where do you see this going. I am actually looking forward to that, coz a lot of times what I write can even have the exact opposite meaning of what i meant. **

**Thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW!**

* * *

**Natsume's POV: **

"So what are your plans for today?" I asked Mikan as we were having breakfast. It was friday morning, and Hotaru and Ruka had already left 'last night on a trip for the long weekend, since for some reason there was no university today.

"I'll be at home till the afternoon, but then I am going bowling and shopping with Kia and Chitose." she told me around mouthfuls of cereal. "Why ask?"

"Just coz. I was surprised you did not wanna go an any trips. It is a long weekend." I shrugged.

"I.. uh.. well, I did not wanna bother Ruka." she muttered, and I stared at her. Something was kinda amiss here.

"What are you trying to not say?" I asked suspiciously.

She scowled at me, and I knew for sure she was holding something back.

"Spill!" I told her.

"Fine! I wanted to, but you said you were busy, and I was not gonna go with Ruka and Hotaru, and Kia and Chitose are only free today, so we could not make it a trip either." she said in one breath, then glared at me.

"If you had said you wanted to go somewhere, I would have..." I started but she cut me off.

"Don't would have me. I know what you would have done, but that still does not mean that you would have had the time for it. You probably would have gone without sleep for a week. Anyways, I am done, so I am heading back to my room." and with that she stomped off.

I sighed. I guess we were not completely over the angst filled teenager stage.

* * *

**Normal POV:**

"SHIT!" Mikan yelled as she noticed the time.

"Whats wrong?" Kia asked alarmed.

"Its 11 pm. I am so late!" Mikan cried.

"Uh huh. Well, we just finished dinner, what else did you expect?" Chitose asked amused.

"I dunno. Not this, thats for sure." Mikan answered.

"Right. I guess it is more than enough for today. Time to head home?" Kia asked.

Mikan and Chitose nodded in agreement.

Mikan hailed a cab, and then waving goodbye to her friends got in.

"Where to lady?" The cabbie asked her.

"Hyugga mansion." she answered without thinking, as she watched Chitose and Kia both get into a cab behind her.

"Uh huh. Thats not an address lady." The cab driver informed her. Mikan scowled at him and then flicked out her phone and called Natsume. He answered on the first ring.

"Yes Mikan?" he asked calmly though she could sense that he was worried about something.

"Uh.. whats our address?" Mikan asked.

"You're taking a cab home?" he asked back.

"Yeah trying to."

"I am at the office still. Want to come here first? The address is 91, 42nd street East." Natsume told her without waiting for her answer.

"91, 42nd street East." Mikan repeated to the cabbie and he started driving.

"Whats wrong?" Mikan asked Natsume.

"What makes you think something is wrong?" he countered.

"Its just.. I am not sure. Anyways, quit running around the topic." Mikan snapped, expecting Natsume to tease her some more, but instead he sighed.

Before he could say anything more, Natsume heard the cabbie over the phone, "We're here lady. That'll be 20$"

"I'll see you in a minute." Mikan said and hung up, then she dug the money out of her wallet, thanking heavens that she was carrying cash instead of just cards.

* * *

Mikan walked into the huge Hyugga Corp. building and blinked. She had forgotten just how impressive it was.

She walked up the reception area.

"On which floor will I find Natsume Hyugga?" she asked.

"Do you have an appointment?" the receptionist asked.

Mikan shook her head.

"I am sorry, but you cannot meet him without an appointment. If you'd be kind enough to state your name and reason for visit, I ca.." she stopped suddenly, staring at someone over Mikan's shoulder.

Mikan turned around to see Narumi walking towards them.

Behind her the receptionist stood up and bowed. "Good Evening Sir!"

"Evening. What is going on here?" Narumi asked turning to Mikan, but before she could say anything the receptionist answered.

"I was just telling this lady that she cannot meet with Natsume Hyugga-sama without an appointment." the receptionist said pertly, with a look thrown at Mikan, that made Mikan wonder if the woman was one of Natsume's fan girls.

"Of course she can." Narumi said with a shrug, and the woman gaped.

"Forgive me Mikan, that the staff here stopped you. It will not happen again." he said formally.

Mikan chuckled, and then hugged him. "Good evening Uncle!" she said with a bright smile.

"So thats why you took forever!" Natsume called, and Mikan and Narumi turned to see him striding towards him.

"Its not Uncle's fault. I did not know where in this huge building your office was." Mikan told him.

Natsume just took all the shopping bags she was carrying. "I'll show you around sometime, and I have a spare key card for you upstairs, so you'll be able to access the private elevator."

Mikan smiled, "Cool!" Then all three of them headed to the aforementioned private elevator.

The receptionist who had talked to Mikan watched stunned. "Who is that?" she breathed to no one.

The older receptionist next to her answered anyways. "Thats Ms. Sakura. No one knows how she is related to the Hyugga's but if anyone so much as looks at her wrong.. lets just say its not pretty. I had no idea she was back."

"What do you mean back?" the first receptionist asked curiously.

"I worked at the mansion for a while, which is how I know about this. She was studying at some far off scool and only came back during vacations. If she is here at the office, then that means that she is probably back for good." the second one answered. "Oh and you are very lucky it was not Natsume-sama or Ruka-sama that saw you stop her. Believe me, they would not have been very forgiving."

"Is that so?" the woman answered with a speculative gleam in her eyes.

* * *

**Mikan's POV**

I watched as Natsume placed all my bags on a table in his (quite literally) huge office. Then he turned to me, and I could see something was bothering him, and I sighed. I went up to him and hugged him. Slowly, after a minute, i felt him relax, and then he hugged me back.

"Whats bothering you?" I asked him. His arms tightened around me.

"Mom's not doing so well." he said softly. I looked up at him, and I knew my expression was showing all that was going through my head.

"I got a call from the hospital right before you called me." he answered my unspoken question.

"Can I... can I come with you?" I managed to whisper and I saw a small glimmer of relief in his eyes. "I was hoping you'd say that." he said softly, before steering me towards the door.

* * *

When we arrived at the hospital it was past midnight, but we were allowed into her room anyways. There she lay, pale on the bed, the same as she had been for so many years. Natsume sat in the loveseat next to the bed, while i sat on the edge of the bed. I lost track of time, and only when I swayed and almost fell off my perch, did I realize how tired I was. Before I could do anything about it, Natsume pulled me next to him, with my head resting on his shoulder, and his arm around me.

"Its okay, you can rest for a while." he said softly.

"I am scared to sleep." I answered, and I saw him flinch, but then he looked straight at me.

"If something happens, I'll wake you up." he said in an emotionless tone. I felt the tears well up in my eyes, but I wiped them away. I was not going to make him more weak than he already was. The corner of his mouth turned up slightly.

"You don't have to be strong for me. I'll be fine Mikan." he told me, and this time there was no way I could stop the tears. His arm tightened, and I could feel the frantic beating of his heart, but true to his word, there were no tears in his eyes and none of the panic and fear showed on his face.


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**yuuki36**

**A - **so u get your reply here :) The receptionist part is important. It'll be while before i get to it tho. Natsume's Mom has been in a coma all these years. I dunno what chapter it is in. If you want, lemme know in your review and I'll look it up for you. (Kinda short on time right now, wanna publish this asap) the relationship part, well you'll see. I m working on that.

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* * *

"Natsume?" said a faint voice.

Natsume blinked away sleep and glanced at Mikan, but her eyes were closed, and then he turned towards the only other person in the room. Kimiko Hyuuga was staring at her son.

"Mom?" Natsume choked out. Next to him, Mikan opened her eyes and blinked.

"It really is you!" Kimiko said softly, her eyes wide in wonder.

"Oh god Mom!" Natsume said moving forward and taking her hand in his. Kimiko smiled at her son and just like that everything was right in Natsume's world.

* * *

**6 Months Later: **

"Why do I have to wear this?" Mikan grouched as she tugged on the sleeve of her exceptionally formal kimono.

"Because I refuse to be the only one wearing it." Kimiko answered easily from where she was standing at Mikan's side.

"Y'know, that you look beautiful right? Both of you." Natsume said coolly from where he was standing on Mikan's other side.

"Natsume, it is hard enough to see your grandfather being nice, and sweet talking me, it is exceptionally weird when you do the same. Have some mercy on me!" Kimiko mock pleaded with her son, still smiling perfectly at the guests milling about at the huge before-party, of the party that had been thrown in her honor.

Mikan chuckled while Natsume smiled slightly.

"C'mon Mom, its not that bad. Okay I admit, this party is terrible, but having you around is awesome." Natsume said sweetly, and at the end he turned to smile at her, over Mikan's head. Kimiko Hyuuga chuckled at her son. Ever since she had woken up from her coma 6 months ago, some of the childish innocence had come back into Natsume's eyes.

It had taken her a while to get used to the fact that the children she remembered had all grown up into adults, the father in law who had ignored her very existence was now nice to her, and that her husband was gone forever. She missed Shou like crazy, but at the same time she was thankful for being alive. She could see it in their eyes, that even if they had been cared for, these years had not been all that easy on them. Still she was glad that they had become adults that she was unquestionably proud of.

"Natsume-sama!" I sickly sweet voice called, breaking Kimiko out of her reverie, and all three turned to face her, their fake smiles (a stoic look for Natsume) perfectly in place.

The woman who had just approached them, latched onto Natsume's arm.

"Will you not introduce me to your Okaa-sama?" she said batting her eyelashes at Natsume. Mikan tried not to gag.

Natsume calmly detached his hand from her vice like grip.

"Koizumi-san, this is my mother, Kimiko Hyuuga, whose recovery we are celebrating at tonight's party." Natsume said formally, but Mikan could see distaste in his eyes.

"It is so nice to meet you!" The woman, Koizumi-san, gushed taking Kimiko's hand in hers.

"Same here." Kimiko said formally, having noticed how Koizumi-san was ignoring Mikan. It seemed that Koizumi noticed that, and so she let go of Kimiko's hand, and turned to Natsume again.

"Who is this lovely child that you are with, Natsume-sama? I never knew you enjoyed babysitting." She said sweetly.

Natsume raised an eyebrow, but then said, "This is Mikan, and Mikan, I would like you to meet, Koizumi Luna. Her father is a good friend of Toushrou."

"I am flattered that you think I look young madam." Mikan said with a lovely smile. "It is of course rare in people to appreciate qualities in others that they themselves don't possess."

"Of course." Luna said looking confused, but before she could figure out just what Mikan had said to her, someone called to her and she excused herself.

Again the three stood side by side, smiles painted on their faces.

"Mikan?" Kimiko said softly.

"Yes aunt?" - Mikan

"You know that gorgeous kimono, that matches the one I am wearing tonight, that Toushoru got for you, that you were going to wear tonight?" - Kimiko

"Yeah?" - Mikan

"What will be the perfect place for it tonight?" - Kimiko

"My cupboard." Mikan answered coldly.

"Smart girl." Kimiko said approvingly.

"Aunt?" Mikan said softly.

"Yes Mikan?" - Kimiko

"Do you remember that burgundy dress that Natsume got me?" - Mikan

"Yeah?" - Kimiko

"It should look perfect on me tonight." Mikan said confidently.

"Agreed." - Kimiko.

"You almost killed me for buying it for her." Natsume protested.

"That was before I saw the kind of clothes she usually wears. She can carry it off just fine, and I am more used to seeing her in such things now." Kimiko explained.

Natsume chuckled.

"Natsume will you do me a favor?" Mikan said sweetly.

"Sure, what is it?" he answered automatically.

"You'll match me tonight. I don't care how, it can be a tie, shirt, scarf, or cravat, but you're matching me, and if you so much as notice another girl tonight, I will kill you where you stand." Mikan said the entire sentence with an angelic smile.

Natsume grinned. "It'll be my pleasure. You didn't even need to threaten me for this."

"Smart boy." Kimiko said with approval.

"Ruka is going to match me tonight." Hotaru announced as she joined them.

"I am?" Ruka asked from her side, obviously not in the loop.

"You are!" Kimiko, Hotaru and Mikan snapped at the same time.

Ruka raised his hands in surrender. "All right! all right!"

Natsume clapped him on the shoulder. "You wanna blame anyone for this turning into a territorial fight, blame Koizumi."

Ruka scowled. "I don't like that clingy w..." he stopped, glancing at Kimiko, then continued, "I at least have Hotaru as a barrier, but you're gonna have a hard time. what with all the women aiming at you..."

"Why do you think I am matching Mikan? Not to mention, Koizumi called for war when she was rude to Mikan." Natsume said with an evil smirk. Next to him, Mikan had the same evil look in her eyes.

* * *

**Later in the evening: **

Toushrou stared in shock as Mikan entered the room. She was wearing a deep red floor length halter dress. The neck line almost came to her waist where the dress was pulled tight to her body by a broad black silk belt, studded with diamonds. Her hair was pulled up with some tendrils escaping on either side, and she actually had smoky eye make-up. Then she turned to say something to Natsume, who had entered the room with her, and Toushrou almost had a coronary as he realized that the back of the dress started with the belt. Above that, it was just the ribbons of the halter top hanging on her bare back.

"What is she wearing?" Toushrou said raggedly to Narumi. "This is not just a celebratory party for my Daughter in Law's recovery, it is also a introduction into Society party for Mikan, though if I ever told her that, she would have never agreed to attend."

Narumi grinned. "It will be an unforgettable introduction, trust me. She looks stunning."

"Yes but.. I thought she was going to dress traditional." Toushrou said finally recovering from his shock.

"She was. Then Koizumi Luna happened. She annoyed Kimiko-san _and_ Mikan." Misaki told him.

Toushrou sighed. "That explains that." then he unexpectedly grinned, "It will be interesting to watch."

Narumi chuckled and even Misaki smiled at that.

* * *

On the other side of the room, Natsume chuckled softly as he saw the expression on his gradfather's face. Since he could lip read, he had 'heard' the entire conversation. He had just entered the family 'living room' (formal kind where they never hung out) with Mikan and all of them were going to join the actual party together from here.

Natsume was dressed in a black tux, with a black silk shirt rather than the usual white, but even more of a statement was the deep red scarf (exactly the same color as Mikan's dress) that he was wearing at his throat as a cravat.

"Having a good time?" Ruka said with a sly grin as he and Hotaru joined them, and they all started walking to where Toushrou was sitting with Narumi and Misaki.

Hotaru was wearing a raw silk sheath dress in a pale pink color, and Ruka was wearing a shirt of that color with his black tux. He was also wearing a cravat, but his was black.

When they reached grandfather, he actually stood up to greet them.

"You both look lovely." he said sweetly to Hotaru and Mikan.

They both smiled at him in response.

"So I take it that you plan on really enjoying yourselves tonight?" Narumi said with a grin.

"I plan to not pull my punches." Mikan said coldly.

"You told Koizumi that she looks older than she is, to her face!" Misaki said with a chuckle. "How is that holding back?"

"I said it in a way that it took her probably half an hour to understand." Mikan said while sticking her tongue out.

Narumi laughed out loud. "I was there when she finally figured it out. Her expression was priceless."

"Now now children. Play nice. Be sure to not let anyone get the better of you." Toushrou said calmly.

"Shoudn't it be"play nice and don't destroy the guests"?" Kimiko asked as she also joined the group.

"No. If they are foolish enough to think that they can do as they please against my family, they deserve what happens to them." Toushrou Hyuuga said coldly, and then he took Kimiko's hand and lead the way into the grand hall where all the guests were waiting for them.

* * *

**Author Note: Just some clarifications: **

**Kimiko Hyuuga is Natsume's mom and has been in a coma for the past few years, since the accident that killed Natsume's dad Shou, and Ruka's parents. **

**Toushrou is Natsume's grandfather and he disliked Kimiko and disowned his son. He has reformed now. Mostly. **

**The before-party, party was mainly them sort of hanging out with guests who had arrived earlier for like tea or something (since they were travelling from far) and then they would all get ready again for the main party. It was still pretty formal. **

**This party was to celebrate the recovery of Kimiko Hyuuga from her coma. It is also Mikan's intro into society of sorts. Mikan did not know that, or she would not have come. Natsume knows and is NOT happy about it. **

**The main party is in next chapter. **

**Thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW!**

**oh n I am back from my vacation :) and had an awesome time! I got to be a Geisha for halloween! Did I mention that in the last chapter? who knows.. *walks away confused***


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**chainedheart999 **

**Msdgirl **

**yuuki36**

**A**

**natsumeslover **

**jyouzebin - **your wish is my command :P I really was not gonna bash Luna a lot, but then the reviews said that u guys were lookin fwd to it.. so here goes.. enjoy :)

**LilBlueBear **

**JadedPixie18 **

**TheHeideePayas **

* * *

"I think our plan backfired." Natsume said testily.

"Why is that?" Mikan asked amused.

"Because instead of getting rid of women, now we're attracting guys as well." he replied, glaring at some guys who had been ogling Mikan.

"Y'know, considering we're the hosts, or at least you kind of are, you'd expect we'd know more people here. How many do you know Natsume?" Mikan asked ignoring his grouchiness completely. She was used to him getting annoyed at guys by now.

"More than half, but I just know them, I am not, thank god, expected to talk to them." Natsume answered. There had been a formal introduction at the start of the party which had introduced everyone from the Hyuuga house. After that, Mikan had been constantly greeted by people for over an hour, but now they finally had a break.

"I know! I am also glad that the major socializing has been left to Uncle Narumi and Uncle Misaki. The minor was enough to kill me." Mikan muttered, and then scowled as she realized that Koizumi Luna was making her way towards them.

"Natsume-sama!" Luna called in that sickly sweet voice of hers.

Mikan almost cringed, but managed to keep her expression blank. Next to her Natsume murmured softly, "Watch n learn".

When Luna reached them, Natsume had his arm wrapped around Mikan's waist, and he was standing really close, half facing her.

Natsume turned his head to Luna, but still kept his body turned to Mikan and greeted her. Mikan held back her laughter at the way Luna's face fell.

"You're again with the child, I see." Luna said in a whiny voice.

"Koizumi-san, you really must not call Mikan a child." Natsume admonished but in a nice way.

Koizumi took the bait thinking that he was flirting back, while next to him, Mikan was having a hard time keeping a poker face, since she knew exactly where this was going.

"Why not?" Koizumi asked in a simpering voice.

"Because that would mean that I am interested in a child, and thats like molesting a child. Not cool." Natsume said blandly.

Luna's face went white as it sunk in that Natsume had openly declared that he was interested in Mikan.

"Its okay Natsume," Mikan said with a sweet smile, "Koizumi-san did not mean that; she just sees how much younger I am, and can't help but see me as a child. Its her way of bonding with someone half her age."

Natsume almost choked at that but still managed to keep a straight face, while Luna turned red.

"You insufferable brat!" she snapped at Mikan.

"Tsk Tsk, Koizumi-san" Ruka said coldly as he too joined them, "You should not insult the guest of honor at a party."

"Guest of honor? This.. This rude little.." Koizumi sputtered.

"Of course. It is the first social party Mikan chose to attend after all; so she has to _at least_ be the guest of honor. Did you miss the introduction at the start?" Ruka said calmly, ignoring the fact that Luna was now redder than a tomato.

"That explains a lot. First party indeed. Natsume-sama, you should teach her some more manners." Luna said regaining some of her composure.

"Yes, Natsume, you should. Especially remind me that I should always go through the guest list, and make it more exclusive." Mikan said with a sly grin.

Next to her Ruka chuckled and Natsume smirked.

Luna huffed. "I see that none of your will ever check her rudeness. Well have fun dealing with the little bi..."

Natsume cut her off, "Koizumi-san, don't make me have to throw you out of here. Insulting Mikan is off limits. For everyone."

"Just what is she to you?" Luna spat angrily.

"Everything." Natsume said coldly, before taking Mikan to the dance floor. Ruka also left and asked Hotaru for a dance.

"That was... profound." Mikan said softly, her eyes wide in wonder.

Natsume sighed. "Any chance you'll forget I ever said that?"

"Nope." Mikan answered without thinking.

"Didn't think so." Natsume said with a wry smile.

"There is a chance that I might not bug you about it though." Mikan said sweetly.

"Is there now?" Natsume asked interested.

"You do know that I have a driving license right?" Mikan asked.

"You want a car, and the permission to drive it." Natsume said in a flat voice.

Mikan grinned.

"You can have a car. Whichever one you want. But you are not driving it all the time. Only on very very rare occasions." Natsume told her.

"Negotiable?" Mikan asked.

"Nope." he answered without thinking this time.

Mikan pouted but then nodded. Then she placed both her arms around his neck. Natsume raised an eyebrow and she smirked.

"I am your girl for the night remember?" she murmured, making him chuckle.

* * *

"They do look cute together." Hotaru remarked.

"Who?" Ruka asked as they danced together.

"Natsume and Mikan, who else?" Hootaru said with a roll of her eyes. Ruka almost choked.

"What are you talking about?" he finally managed to sputter.

"Can't you see?" Hotaru snapped.

Ruka glanced at his best friend who was slow dancing with Mikan, and then looked back at Hotaru. "No." he said flatly.

"Gawd.. you men can be so blind." Hotaru said exasperated, and then she snapped off a few fast insults about Ruka's intellect in Norwegian, before switching back to Japanese, "They are in love, Ruka. They haven't realized it yet, obviously, but they are in love. Or rather, they will be falling completely in love very soon."

Ruka groaned. "I like being the oblivious guy." he whined and Hotaru chuckled.

"Its okay, I'll make sure you don't say anything stupid." Hotaru said sweetly, as she moved even closer to him, and felt Ruka's arms tighten around her.

"What would I do without you.." Ruka murmured softly as they kept on dancing, and he kept on trying to wrap his brain around the notion of Mikan and Natsume getting together. In a way it was a good thing that he had received some advance warning.

* * *

"Koizumi-san, it has been a while since we last met." Tsubasa said with a smile as he was greeted by someone he was never happy to meet. Luna Koizumi.

"Tsubasa-san, I was not expecting to see you here." Luna said with a sweet (fake) smile. She really had not been expecting to see the sole heir to Andou Corporation here at this party.

"I am friends with Mikan." Tsubasa answered.

"Ah.. Natsume-sama's latest toy. I was amazed that he had her introduced, but to even let her invite guests, even if it is someone like yourself, I am impressed. Maybe she will be able to keep his interest for a while." Luna said snidely, and then with a wave she left Tsubasa.

Tsubasa scowled after the woman he had never liked, but he was worried about what she had said. _Was Natsume only using Mikan? _

Tsubasa glanced around and he noticed Mikan dancing with Natsume. To him it seemed that Mikan did not want to be here, but Natsume was the reason she was tolerating this. (It never occurred to Tsubasa that his opinion may be biased.)

After watching Mikan for a few minutes, Tsubasa turned and left. He had had enough. He was only a friend, _a friend,_ who Mikan had told quite clearly, that she would not be dating again. So who she was dating right now, and how he treated her was none of his business. So what if Natsume was over protective, and a reason for Mikan to not do a lot of things that she wanted to do** (exaggerated version)**, so what if she barely had any freedom, **(again exaggerated)** and so what if he made her do things that she did not like **(own opinion)**, it was none of his business, and he had no right to interfere.

* * *

"Is something wrong?" Mikan asked Natsume as his eyes traveled around the hall.

"I thought I saw your friend, Andou." Natsume said still looking around.

"I did invite him. Kia and Chitose already told me that just because I had to torture myself at a stuffy party, did not mean that they were going to ruin their friday night, but sempai said that he might come. Maybe he did." Mikan answered.

"I don't know. I don't see him anymore. Maybe it was a mistake." Natsume shrugged.

"Maybe... Natsume, do you think we can leave now? Please!" Mikan pleaded suddenly.

Natsume grinned. "Sure why not. You got to flaunt me in front of all the women, pretend that we are together, and you also got your revenge on Koizumi. Grandfather could not have hoped for a better intro for you into society. You are now officially The Girl Spoiled by The Hyuuga's." he said teasingly.

Mikan lightly slapped his arm. "Stop bugging me and think of an excuse. I'm tired."

"Faint." Natsume ordered.

Mikan grinned, and then with a theatrical sigh, she fainted, and Natsume caught her before she could fall to the ground.

People all around them stilled, and then started to come closer, talking in distress and worry. Natsume calmly picked Mikan up, gave Ruka a look, and headed out of the room.

"Its all right. It must be all the exertion." Ruka said in a placating voice, before he and Hotaru also followed Natsume out of the room.

Right at the exit, they were greeted by Misaki, his expression a mixture of hilarity, and annoyance.

"This was the best excuse you could come up with? Faking fainting?" he asked them.

Ruka raised both his hands, palm out. "Don't blame me. It was all those two. I just get some of the reward. Now if you'll excuse me, we have to go make sure Mikan is okay." he said with a roll of his eyes, and taking Hotaru's hand, he too headed upstairs.

* * *

When Ruka reached Natsume's room, he was greeted by the sight of Natsume and Mikan killing themselves laughing.

Inspite of themselves, Hotaru and Ruka joined in._ When you think about it, it was a pretty funny, if clichéd, way to get out of a boring party._

When they finally stopped, gasping for breath, Hotaru stood up, and yanked Ruka up besides her.

"Thanks for drastically improving my weekend. Going to go make it even better." and with that, she dragged Ruka out of there, setting the other two off into another bout of laughter.

Mikan finally stood up, still gasping for breath. "I have to change." she muttered as she stumbled to the door, still giggling.

"I'll be back in a minute." she told Natsume as she closed the door behind her.

Natsume tugged off his cravat, and then took off his shirt. (He had taken the jacket off as soon as he had entered the room.) Then he changed into a ragged pair of light blue jeans, and a dark green cotton hoodie.

He had just closed his closet, when Mikan knocked on the door and entered. She was wearing cotton shorts, and bright blue tank top. She had washed away all her makeup and her hair was piled on top of her head with a butterfly clip.

She plopped down on Natsume's bed with a sigh. "What now?" she asked stretching on it.

Natsume shrugged as he sat down on the couch. "Whatever you want."

"Why don't you tell me a story?" Mikan asked.

"What are you, 10?" Natsume retorted.

"Please Natsume! Pretty please!" Mikan said sitting up and giving him the puppy dog eyes.

Natsume sighed. "What do you want me to read?" he asked as he came and sat next to her on the bed.

"Anything. I like hearing your voice. You can even tell me the story of any movie you like." Mikan said with a smile.

Natsume smirked, immediately deciding on "The Skeleton Key".

Mikan happily cuddled under the blanket, as she settled in to listen to Natsume's storytelling. Natsume was lying down next to her, but they were both on the opposite ends of the bed. As the story progressed, Mikan snuck in closer and closer, until she was using Natsume's arm as a pillow, and she was holding his other hand in both of hers.

"You're such a chicken." Natsume said with a grin after he finished.

"You had to pick horror." Mikan grouched, but her teeth were chattering. Natsume scowled and pulled the blankets over himself as well, and pulled Mikan close. She was freezing.

"You really are a wimp. I watched that movie all by myself." Natsume said as he stroked her cheek. He was somewhat shocked that she was freezing just because she had listened to the story of a horror flick.

"Whatever." Mikan snapped before snuggling closer and flat out ignoring him. Natsume laughed and started telling her another story. This time, it was of the Prince of Persia, a movie he knew she had seen and liked. Halfway through, she was looking up at him again, and even smiling as he went through some of her favorite parts.

"Better now?" Natsume asked as he was done the second story of the night, only to realize that Mikan had fallen asleep. He smiled as he saw how tightly she was holding onto him. _Maybe he should tell her horror stories more often, _ran an errant thought in his mind, but he ignored it, and then settled in to sleep as well.


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters.**

**Thanks a lot for reviewing:**

**virginger**

**manga-girl-freak**

**Yuri no Kimi**

**yuuki36**

**A - yup and yup!**

**LilBlueBear**

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**OYYES123**

**Fallen-Angel-RM**

**JadedPixie18**

**obsesswithvikinghelmets**

**Angel Sakura15 - Thanks a lot :)**

**ChocoStar **

**Queen34 - Ooh welcome :) I actually saw your review after i posted this chapter.. so i just made an edit *shrug* Luna is in her late twenties. Like 28 or something. ot all that old. Just very annoying. As for Tsubasa, you'll see :) Not telling that one yet!  
**

* * *

"C'mon Natsume, please!" Mikan whined on the phone. Next to her Kia was trying hard not to laugh.

"But you promised... Yes I know... still, please!" Mikan begged.

"What do you mean, no means no? You're horrible!" Mikan finally snapped and hung up.

Kia burst out laughing.

"What?" Mikan said angrily turning to her, and Kia raised both her hands in surrender.

"Nothing! Not my fault that he said no." she said backtracking rapidly.

Mikan huffed and stalked off. Grinning, Kia followed her. Unknown to the both of them, **Tsubasa** had seen the whole thing.

"Mikan slow down!" Kia called.

Mikan stopped and turned to scowl at her.

"Look, stop being so mad. Its not that big a deal." Kia said.

"He promised!" Mikan said angrily.

"And you sound like a 2 year old. Really, c'mon. Give him some credit. He never says no to you unless he has a reason. Just give him a chance." Kia said soothingly.

"Whatever. I am just not gonna spoil my mood over this." Mikan said taking deep breaths.

"Thats the spirit! Now lets go, just coz you can't drive, does not mean we can't go see a movie." Kia said with a smile and Mikan smiled back.

* * *

"What was that all about?" Ruka asked Natsume.

"At that dumbass party I promised Mikan that she could have her own car, and she could drive it occasionally. Since she has yet to pick which car she wants, she asked me if she could drive the car thats waiting for her at University instead of the driver." Natsume said in a clipped voice.

"Why not let her do it? It should be fine if she has a driver there with her." Ruka asked.

"I want to see how she drives before I let her do it alone, and I am not gonna trust a servant for it. I wanted to let her drive my car this weekend, but she did not have any free time." Natsume said coolly.

"You should have told her, and she would have made time." Ruka said rolling his eyes.

Natsume shrugged. "Did you come to my office just to gossip, or do you have something to discuss?" he asked his best friend in a testy voice. Ruka grinned and started talking business.

* * *

"That was a good movie!" Mikan said with a happy sigh as they exited the theater. Kia nodded in agreement.

"I never thought seeing Bruce Willis kick butt could be so much fun." Kia said with a grin.

"I know! Man.. after The Expendables, I was looking for a good action flick. This one worked so well." Mikan said as she tried to hail a cab.

"Hold on.. umm Mikan?" Kia asked as she realized something.

"Yeah?" Mikan asked turning towards her.

"There was a car and a driver waiting for you at school, and you never told them where you were heading. You did not tell Natsume sempai either." Kia asked worried now.

"If he was worried he could have called me." Mikan said shrugging, but then her face blanched as she realized that she had switched off her phone for the movie. She fumbled her phone out of her bag and switched it on.

"I am so dead.." Mikan whispered horrified. She had 39 Missed Calls and 17 text messages.

Just as she was trying to figure out what to do, her phone rang and Mikan almost dropped it, before managing to answer it.

"Mikan! Thank god you finally answered." Ruka exclaimed.

"Umm hi Ruka... Look I am really sorry, I totally forgot.." Mikan started to say, when Natsume grabbed the phone from Ruka.

"Mikan are you okay?" he asked in a panicked voice. For some reason Mikan felt tears gathering in her eyes.

"I'm fine. I just forgot.. n it was a movie so I switched off my phone, I am so sorry.." she was whispering by the end.

"Where are you?" Natsume asked, cutting in.

Mikan gave him the name of the theater as well as which entrance she was at. He hung up as soon as she was done.

"So how much trouble are you in now?" Kia asked when Mikan hung up.

"I dunno. He sounded so worried... I feel horrible." Mikan said unhappily.

"Its okay, just remember that from his point of view, you were mad, and then you vanished. Of course everyone panicked. If you apologize enough, you might get out of it, eventually." Kia said sagely.

"I know, I know. I really messed up." Mikan's shoulders slumped.

"Since you understand that, I am gonna leave you to deal with the consequences." Kia said, as she moved closer to the street and hailed a cab.

"You're leaving me?" Mikan asked even more worried now.

"I have no intention to be here when Sempai loses his temper. Sorry Mikan, but he can be scary and I value my life." Kia said clapping her hands together in apology before getting into the cab. Mikan gave her a forlorn wave. If she could've, she would've gotten in the cab with her and left too.

"Gawwwd, Natsume is so gonna kill me!" she groaned, and just then Natsume's car screeched around the corner. Mikan watched its speedy approach with utter dread.

The car stopped right in front of her, and the door opened.

"Get in." Natsume snapped, and Mikan obeyed. The drive was eerily silent. Mikan waited with baited breath for him to start yelling, but he was silent, which made her so nervous that she did not even realize where they had arrived until he was getting out of the car. She stared in surprise at their destination: Hyuuga Corp.

"Out." Natsume said coldly, as he held the door open for her. Mikan somehow managed to get out of the car, hurrying as much as she could in her panic.

Natsume slammed the car door shut behind her, and Mikan jumped. She followed Natsume inside the huge building. She could not make herself look up and so she was staring at his hand for a moment before she realized what she was seeing. Natsume was shaking. She stumbled and a soft whimper escaped her.

Natsume turned and caught her, and then she was against the wall inside the elevator, and Natsume was in front of her, and he looked scary as hell, but he was still shaking, and Mikan could not stop the tears from overflowing out of her eyes.

Natsume reached and pressed the button for the right floor, as well his thumb on the finger print id pad. Then he raised his hand to Mikan's face and she flinched, and for the first time since he had come to pick her up, Natsume actually saw Mikan. He stepped back, relaxed his shoulders and opened his arms wide in as non threatening a pose he could manage at the moment.

"I am really sorry. It really was an accident." Mikan said in a small voice.

"I know." Natsume answered.

Mikan took one tentative step towards him.

"Natsume.. I.." she started but no words would come, and tears were filling her eyes again.

"C'mere." he said softly, and when she had taken one more step closer, he wiped away the tears.

"I'm sorry too. There is no excuse for scaring you." Natsume said gently, and hugged her even as she shook her head, denying even the possibility of him ever scaring her.

The elevator dinged open, and Natsume stepped out, his arm around Mikan.

"Natsume-sama! The Chairman is waiting for you. ...I would suggest that your guest wait here..." his secretary started but Natsume walked on giving her only one small nod.

When Natsume opened the door to his office, Toushrou, Misaki and Ruka were there. Ruka rushed to Mikan.

"You okay?" he asked as he hugged her.

Mikan nodded. Ruka smiled in relief. "Thank heavens."

Mikan sat next to Ruka on the couch, feeling uneasy. Toushrou was glaring at Natsume.

"You walked out of a meeting, without any reason." Toushrou said coldly.

Natsume leaned against his desk, his expression icy. "I had more than enough reason. The car that was supposed to pick Mikan up was stopped, and she was unreachable. Narumi was there at the meeting with me. He took care of it, and we landed the contract."

"That is hardly the point. You take work too lightly." Toushrou snapped.

Natsume raised an eyebrow. "If what I value is threatened then everything else comes second. You should know this by now. Other than this, when have I ever taken any of my duties lightly?"

Toushrou smiled. "Good answer boy. You pass." he said getting up. Natsume sighed.

"You're one creepy old man." he told Toushrou.

Toushrou laughed, and then with a wave he left. Misaki patted Mikan's head before following him. As soon as they were gone, the atmosphere in the room relaxed.

"Natsume, I am so sorry." Mikan said earnestly.

Natsume turned to her and shrugged. "Happens."

Mikan just stared at him, making Ruka chuckle.

"I gotta go. I have some more work to finish, and then I am taking Hotaru out to dinner. See you guys later!" he said as he too left. The snap of the closing door echoed in the room. Mikan was now staring at the floor. She felt Natsume sit down next to her.

"Stop panicking. Its not that big a deal." he said calmly.

"You were so mad." Mikan said quietly, not looking at him.

"Not at you. Not really." Natsume replied. Mikan looked up at him.

"I was teasing you about the car. I did not have to make you mad but I did. I thought you switched off your phone because you were avoiding me. So if I could not contact you, it was what I deserved. That was still okay until the driver called to tell me that someone stopped the car, and it seemed like they were looking for you. I kind of freaked out. I am sorry I scared you." Natsume said, taking a strand of her hair in his hand.

"I was not scared." Mikan said bravely.

"Uh huh. You were quaking in your boots." Natsume grinned.

"Was not! and I am not wearing boots. These are peep toes." Mikan said sticking her tongue out.

"Same difference." Natsume retorted.

"Was not!"

"Were too!"

"Was not!"

"Were too!"

"WAS NOT!" Mikan hurled, almost laughing now.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door, and Natsume got up to see who it was. His secretary stared dumbfounded when instead of the usual "Come in", her boss actually opened the door.

"Yes?" Natsume asked, still smiling slightly.

"Uh.. umm.. Sir.. that is.." the woman stuttered.

"Was not!" Mikan called to Natsume, who grinned and mouthed "Were too!" to her. Meanwhile the secretary got her wits back.

"Sir, I was wondering about the rest of your schedule for today. There is still a lot that needs to be done, so about your guest.." she stopped awkwardly.

Mikan had come to stand behind Natsume by this point.

"She is not a guest, she is family. Mikan meet Anna, my personal secretary, Anna meet Mikan, my personal brat." Natsume said with a poker face.

Mikan slapped his arm lightly before shaking hands with the shell shocked Anna. This was the first time Anna had seen Natsume smile, grin and joke in the past three years that she had been working for him, and it was a bit much for her to take in.

"Nice to meet you." Anna managed to say. Mikan smiled back.

"If you have a lot of work, I can go home." Mikan said turning to Natsume.

"I am not letting you out of my sight." Natsume told her in a tone that brooked no arguments, "Anna, send in all the files that I need to do tonight. I'll take them home."

Anna nodded and excused herself.

"Was not!" Mikan said before the door even closed.

"Were too! and I can prove it." Natsume said, turning to her with an evil look.

"Uh Natsume.." Mikan started, but he cut her off as he walked towards her with a creepy look. Mikan placed both her palms on his chest to stop him, but to no effect, he just kept coming. Mikan groaned. "Please Natsume!" she said giving him her best puppy dog expression.

Natsume stopped and grinned, then pulled her into a hug. Mikan smiled as she felt his protectiveness wash over her, making her feel safe. She placed her arms around his neck, and looked up. Natsume was smiling slightly.

"You know you're evil right?" she asked sweetly.

Natsume touched his forehead to hers. "You know you're a spoiled brat, right?"

Mikan giggled. "Since I am so spoiled, and you're the person who did all the spoiling, shouldn't you take responsibility?"

"What do you have in mind?" Natsume asked trying not to smile.

"Lets crash Ruka's date!" Mikan said happily. Natsume stared at her stunned, then burst out laughing.

"Sounds like a plan. Let's go. We have to get ready for a fancy dinner." Natsume said already leading her out.

Outside the door, they met Anna as she was coming into the office with a stack of folders.

"Mikan, grab them." Natsume ordered and Mikan did as she was told. Then they headed off to Hyuuga Mansion. They had to dress up after all.

* * *

**Author Note: This almost feels like a filler chapter.. I wonder what you guys think.. This is actually the second chapter i wrote.. the first one is good too, and it will end up in Shalom, but it was not right for this part of the story.. anyhow, I hope everyone likes this :)**

**Thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

**Thanks a lot for reviewing: **

**ChocoStar **

**LilBlueBear **

**Angel Sakura15**

**Rabia **

**Queen34**

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**kara'mel'-chan **

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**Msdgirl**

* * *

**Thanks a lot everyone! and I am Sooooo Sorry that I could not reply to the reviews :( I promise I would not make that a habit. I was just a bit too busy. **

**This chapter was hard... but I do like how it turned out :) Please let me know what you think! Its again a bit of filler, but the plot is kinda moving forward. Kinda. **

**Thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW!**

* * *

**Ruka's POV:**

"RUKA! HOTARU!" Mikan called from across the restaurant. Both Hotaru and I looked up, shocked to see her here. Mikan grinned as she and Natsume came to stand by our table.

"Fancy seeing you here!" Mikan said in an exuberant voice. I scowled. I could read her like a book. _This was planned._ I wanted to scream in frustration.

"No kidding!" Hotaru said across from me. I could not tell if she was happy or mad. _Oh Man.. way to ruin my date guys! _

I glared at Natsume but he gave me a small shrug. _So this was Mikan's idea._

"Mind if we join you? It'll feel weird if we're all here but not together." Mikan asked innocently.

"No." I said coldly before I could stop myself. To my surprise, Mikan clapped her hands in joy.

"I knew you would not mind!" she exclaimed happily before signalling the waiter to add two more places to our table. _What the heck. Thats not what I had meant. _From Natsume's smirk, he knew exactly what was going on in my head. Mikan gave me an angelic smile as she sat down next to me.

_Someday I was gonna get her back for this. This brat was too spoiled._

Even though I was mad as hell, I could not stay that way. Not with Mikan talking constantly, making jokes and overall having a good time. To see her smile, made you want to smile with her. I sighed halfway through supper. My anger was completely gone, and I could not bring it back no matter how much I wanted.

I ruffled Mikan's hair and "HEY!" she protested. I chuckled, and she gave me a brilliant smile in return.

"Hotaru why don't you stay at the mansion for the weekend? Its been so long since we spent anytime together." Mikan said suddenly.

I felt my heartbeat quicken. A few weeks after coming to Japan, Hotaru had moved into an apartment near the university. My time with her was really limited now. She visited the mansion, but she never stayed overnight. This could be the start of something really good.

"I guess... it really has been a while." Hotaru said agreeing.

I wanted to dance in joy. I owed Mikan for this._ But it was so worth it._

Mikan stood up.

"Where're you going?" I asked without thinking.

"Washroom. Wanna come along?"she asked rolling her eyes.

"I pass." I said hastily. Hotaru and Natsume both chuckled.

A minute after Mikan left, my phone buzzed. I checked it and scowled.

"What is it?" Natsume asked.

"Work." I answered as I read the text Mikan had sent me.

"You owe me for giving you a weekend with Hotaru. So now its quits over me crashing your date, plus you still owe me. Natsume owes you a favor. I want that, and I will call it quits with you." the text said. I glanced at my best friend as he discussed something with Hotaru, and shrugged.

"Done." I texted back. I also sent a text to Natsume, telling him what happened. His phone buzzed, and I saw him scowl as he read mine, and possibly Mikan's texts.

"Work as well?" Hotaru asked him. He nodded.

"You jackass. She is making me take her dancing tonight." Natsume texted me back. It was hard to keep my expression blank, and not laugh. Trust Mikan to do something like this. Right then she came back and sat down. Her face impassive as if she hadn't just pulled off something she had been dying to do for a really long time.

"What are your plans for the rest of the night?" Hotaru asked Mikan.

"Natsume is taking me dancing." she said with a smile.

"He is?" Hotaru asked shocked.

"Yeah, I am." Natsume said crankily. Mikan giggled and I chuckled. I could not help it. Natsume glared at me. If Mikan ever realized how hard it was for Natsume to say no to her, he was toast. Sadly that also applied to me. I was just glad he was the only one getting dragged tonight.

The rest of dinner passed by with chit chat, and nothing major happened. Like the ground breaking and swallowing Natsume, which was probably preferable to him, then what actually awaited him tonight. _I reeeaallly did not envy him. _

* * *

**Normal POV: **

Near the door, Ruka apologized softly to Hotaru. Behind them Mikan laughed. Ruka glared at her and she rolled her eyes.

"How did we know where you were? Is Natsume _that_ good, Ruka?" she asked, her eyes dancing in devilry.

Ruka stared at Natsume then turned back to Hotaru who was giving him an evil smile. Ruka just burst out laughing and led her away from the other two who were chuckling. Mikan had barely stopped laughing when she saw Ruka whisper something in Hotaru's ear, and her bright red blush, which sent her laughing again.

Mikan stumbled and Natsume wrapped an arm around her as they walked to his car. Ruka's car passed them by, Hotaru waving through the window. Mikan waved back laughing. In a moment Natsume was opening the car door for Mikan and seating her. She smiled at him as he closed the door.

"So which club?" Natsume asked as he slid into the driver's seat.

"Your favorite." Mikan answered promptly.

Natsume smirked as he drove off.

* * *

**Mikan's POV:**

_DJ got us falling in Love Again by Usher ft. Pitbull_

I laughed happily as one of my favorite songs started playing. I danced, happy, messy, but loving the song, and loving it that Natsume was dancing with me. He was good at it too, though why I had been in doubt, I don't know. He was good at everything. As I jumped with one arm raised high, I could see him silently laughing. I guess my excitement was contagious.

I sang along with the song, jumping, laughing, and then I placed my hands on his shoulders, and still jumped about. I could see Natsume's eyes dancing in amusement.

_Like a G6 by Far East Movement_

"Another good song!" I said happily to Natsume. As we danced, I saw him get distracted by something/someone. I half turned and saw two guys checking me out. _Uh oh._ I turned back and moved closer to Natsume who immediately glanced at me. I gave him an evil grin, before taking taking his hands and placing them on low on my waist. I placed my arms around his neck and he rolled his eyes. We danced like that until the song changed again.

_Low by Flo Rida ft T. Pain_

I cheered. I could not help it. I loved this song! I danced, and then went down on the floor with the song. When I came up Natsume was staring at me. I gave him a "wha?" gesture and he shrugged, pulling me close again, but he did not let me go down on the floor again. _Jeez._

Even as we danced, the floor became more and more packed. I was pressed so close to Natsume, I had to crane my neck to see his face, but his arms were still around me, making me feel as if I was in my own bubble.

"Drinks?" he had to yell in my ear for me to be able to hear him. I nodded in reply, and he led me away from the floor. At the bar, I ordered two tequila shots and then turned to him, "Whats for you?" I asked.

He looked surprised but then ordered two tequilas as well.

When our shots arrived, I grinned, clinked my glass against his, and downed the liquid. My throat burned and I picked up the second glass. Natsume did the same, we clinked them together again and downed those too. I pulled a face as I sucked on the lemon, while Natsume ordered two drinks for us. I took a sip of my drink and smiled in bliss. It tasted so good, especially after two shots of tequila. Natsume laughed at my expression. He was drinking beer. _Ewwww._

_Burn it to the Ground - Nickelback _

I gulped my drink down and dragged Natsume back to the floor. I loved this club already, the music was awesome!

* * *

We danced and kept on dancing till my feet hurt. I raised my lips to Natsume's ear, "Home?" I yelled.

He nodded, and we left the floor, got our jackets at coat check and walked outside. We both had our jackets slung on our hands since we were too hot already.

"If I knew how fun much you were gonna be I would have dragged you here so many times!" I said happily in my slightly hoarse voice. (I had sung along on a LOT of songs)

"If I knew how easy you would be to handle, I would have come with you on my own." Natsume said with a smirk.

"What do you mean?" I asked turning to him, hands on my hips.

"You have so much fun dancing that you don't think about anything else." Natsume said with a shrug. I chuckled, and started walking again. I was so glad when we managed to hail a cab. My feet were hurting. Since Natsume had also been drinking, there was no way he'd drive, so he was gonna pick up the car tomorrow.

I think I fell asleep on the drive home, because next thing I knew, Natsume was tucking me into bed.

"G'night." I told him sleepily. He smiled back, and I closed my eyes.

* * *

**Natsume's POV: **

I entered my room after tucking Mikan into bed. It had been a long time since I had danced so much. I smiled. It had been fun, even though I would never tell Mikan that. I took off my clothes and went to get a shower. There was a pair of sweatpants in the dressing room, that I pulled on, and draped the towel over my shoulders as I came back to my room. Even as I dried my hair, I realized that someone was on my bed. I turned on the lights that I had so far neglected, and almost jumped back in horror.

"Koizumi-san what in hell are you doing here?" I snapped at the woman sleeping in my bed.

She gave me a smile. _Was that supposed to be seductive? Looked creepy as all hell to me. _

"I was in the guest room but that was not very comfy. I like this bed." She said with a simpering laugh. I felt goosebumps rise on my arms.

"I see. Very well then." I said as I headed out.

"Natsume-sama, I could never ask you to sleep in the guest room in your own house!" she exclaimed.

I raised an eyebrow. _Had this woman ever even heard the word subtle? _

"I am not going to the guest room. Mikan's bed is just as comfy." I told her with a smirk, and walked out the door, and it took a LOT of self restraint to not slam it.

* * *

**Mikan's POV:**

I woke up feeling something cold next to me. I blinked several times before turning. Natsume was sleeping on top of the covers and he was freezing. I scowled even more as I realized he was wearing only sweat pants and his hair was damp. If these had been dorms I would have thought he was locked out of his room, but it did not make sense here.

I shook him awake and he glared at me sleepily. "What?"

"In the blankets. Now." I snapped. He just shrugged. moved to the side and slid under the comforter. I was up at this point, and I got another blanket over him, and then grabbed a towel to dry his hair. He sat up in bed to let me do it.

"So, what happened?" I asked.

"You sure you wanna know?" he asked.

"Yes." I answered.

"I tucked you in, went back, took a shower, came out to find Koizumi Luna in my bed." he said in clipped tones but I could still hear the disgust in his voice. Natsume hated for people (except Ruka and I of course) to enter his room, and this was going too far by anyone's standards.

"So I told her she could have my bed since she thought it was so comfy, and that your bed was just as good." he finished icily.

I laughed. I could not help it. His hair was dry now, so I put the towel away and got into bed. I snuggled next to him, he was still cold.

"I have an idea." I told him my plan and Natsume smirked.

"This is gonna be good." he said nodding.

"G'night." I said sweetly, and he smiled just as I closed my eyes again.


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

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**Author Note: So here is the next chapter.. I wrote it like 3 times but it did not feel right until now. So I REALLY hope that you guys like it. I feel that my plot has kind of come to a standstill. I know what needs to happen next but its taking so long to get there :( Please bear with me *bows* **

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* * *

"Why in hell was Koizumi Luna here last night?" Natsume snapped into the phone.

"Natsume its 6:40 am on a bloody saturday!" Narumi answered sounding harassed and sleepy.

"She was in my room!" Natsume said coldly.

Narumi swore. "She came over for dinner last night. Since neither you nor Ruka were here, she decided to stay the night and have brunch with you. You know how she is. If she had asked, I would have said no. She just never asked, only made herself at home. Now can I go back to sleep?" Narumi snapped.

Natsume hung up without saying anything. Narumi growled a few insults at his phone and went back to sleep.

* * *

**Natsume's POV: **

I placed my phone on the bedside table. Somehow I had woken up an hour ago and could not go back to sleep. I glanced at Mikan who was sound asleep, and grinned. She looked so innocent, but she came up with some evil ideas.

I laid back on the pillows, trying to sleep again, but same as before, it just was not happening. This was ridiculous. I had been out dancing (_Thanks Mikan) _till 2 in the morning, finally gone to sleep (in Mikan's room) at like 3, woken up again at 3:30 am, (when Mikan shook me awake) and then crashed again. After all that, how could I wake up at damned 6 am?

I started playing with her hair. I might be awake but I was still tired otherwise I would have gone to the gym or something. Not to mention, the gym was boring when I was by myself. I smiled wickedly. I was not alone. I shook Mikan awake.

* * *

**Mikan's POV: **

"I hate you!" I grouched as I jogged alongside Natsume.

"Sure sure!" he said grinning.

"C'mon man! lets go in.. I am tired and its too early." I said pleading.

"Its nice out." he retorted. I had to admit it was kinda nice out, and it had been a while since we had jogged in the grounds.

"By the way, did you find out why _she_ was here in the first place?" I asked.

He nodded and explained what Uncle Narumi had told him.

"In that case, my idea really will work well." I said with a smirk.

"Yup. We'll need Ruka to get the timing right though." he said, still not out of breath. I just nodded this time. I was starting to breathe heavily. After another half an hour of running we finally went in. A maid was waiting for us with juice. We both grabbed our glasses on our way up but then came to a standstill outside his room and I grinned.

"Want me to go in and get your clothes?" I asked sweetly. He gave me a peeved look, handed me his glass and very quietly entered his own room. Within two minutes he was out again, clothes in hand. He took his juice back, and walked off to find another shower. I was still giggling about it half an hour later.

* * *

**Ruka's POV:**

I entered the dining room with Hotaru. Both of us knew what had happened last night so it was no surprise to see Koizumi there, talking to Aunt Kimiko. Narumi, Misaki and Grandfather were also here. _This was gonna be fun._

We all sat down to eat.

"Where are Natsume and Mikan?" Toushrou asked me.

Before I could answer,

CRRAASHHHH!

Everyone jumped.

"What the hell was that?" Narumi asked getting up.

"Its okay." I said calmly and everyone stared at me.

Narumi slowly sat back down, eyeing me suspiciously.

"As I was about to say before, Mikan and Natsume are doing some remodeling. Natsume decided he wanted to get rid of his bed." I said in explanation.

"How does that explain the crash?" Misaki asked interested.

I pointed to the picture HUGE picture window behind us, just as Natsume's bed crashed to the ground right outside it.

"Mikan had wanted to do that ever since she watched the Hangover. Since he wanted to throw out the bed, she convinced him to do it literally." I said with a shrug. It was hard holding back my laughter at the look on Koizumi Luna's face, but apparently Narumi and Hotaru had no such qualms. Both of them burst into laughter.

Koizumi slammed her fork on the table and stormed out. I started laughing as well.

"Will you tell me what is going on?" Toushrou asked testily, but just then Mikan and Natsume entered the room.

"How'd it go?" Mikan asked excited.

"Bloody priceless!" I said high-fiving first her and then Natsume.

Laughing they took seats at the table as well. Toushrou was glaring at all of us. _Oops._

Amid gales of laughter, Mikan explained what had happened last night, and then how she'd thought up this trick to get the message across.

"So the first crash was just us partly breaking the window so that the bed would fly out of it. It also gave Ruka the signal to time it. So you all were able to see it perfectly." she said bursting into helpless giggles once again.

Toushrou tried to keep a straight face, he really did, but Mikan's laughter had always been infectious and finally he was also chuckling with the rest of us.

* * *

**Later that afternoon: **

"NATSUME THAT HURTS!" Mikan screamed.

"Of course it hurts!" Natsume snapped back as he held her hand while the doctor continued to pull out the cactus spines that were studded all over her back.

"Can't you even be nice?" Mikan said tearfully.

"How in hell can you fall out of a window straight into a cactus? You are so damn lucky that it was your back that landed on the cactus." Natsume said coldly.

"Nicer, jackass!" Mikan said angrily though a few tears slipped down her cheeks.

Natsume was kneeling in front of where she was lying facedown on the hospital table. She held his hand in both of hers, as pain lanced through her back.

"It'll be fine." he told her earnestly.

Mikan smiled shakily. "Yeah that was nicer!" then she cursed, and cursed again. By the time the doctor was done, Natsume had found out just how well Mikan could cuss, and he had to admit that he was impressed.

"All bandaged up." The doc announced.

"Finally!" Mikan said trying to sit up. She was too weak for it though and almost fell back down. Natsume caught her, and slowly helped her sit. Mikan looked at him, and for the first time during this whole thing, she looked scared. Natsume slipped his jacket on her, over the tattered remains of her shirt, then stood closer, and got her to wrap her legs around his waist. Then he picked her up like a little kid, her arms around his neck. He heard her whimper as the strain fell on her lacerated back, but she said nothing. Natsume took her to her room, and gently set her down on the bed.

He went over to her cupboard and dug out one of his shirts from it (Mikan 'borrowed' them often), and brought it to Mikan.

"I can change on my own. I'll sleep then." Mikan said softly.

Natsume gave her a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room.

* * *

**Natsume's POV: **

I entered the library to find Mom, Ruka and Hotaru. Misaki and Narumi had gone with Grandfather somewhere.

"Anything?" I asked Ruka.

"Not too sure but I've started working on it. She does sit on that window sill often enough for someone to have done something." he answered.

I nodded as I checked out the said window sill myself. It did look too smooth.

"You guys do know what you sound like?" Mom asked us in bemused voice. I shared a look with Ruka, and he left the room with Hotaru.

"I'd rather sound like a bad mafia wannabe, then risk anything happening to Mikan." I answered steadily.

"Thats not what I meant Natsume." she said softly.

"I know, but thats the truth. I've seen how much she trusts me, I've also seen her get hurt because of me. I don't intend to let that happen ever again." I told her as I stared outside the window at the broken cactus plants.

"You can't always protect her." Mom said to my surprise. Then again, I guess she kinda missed out when Toushrou and I had that argument.

I turned back to her. "Yes I can, Mom. Mikan is the most precious thing to me, and its not me being selfless or taking the last words you said to me before that trip to heart. Its because she makes me feel as if I am still good somewhere. As if I am not someone who scares people. As if I am still me. You were still in a coma, but I've already been over this with Grandfather. I gave her up once, and I will never do it again."

"Thats... what about Mikan?" she asked gently. I smiled slightly.

"Thats upto her, y'know. I don't make her decisions." I shrugged.

"So she can leave you?" Mom asked quietly.

"If thats what she wants." I answered.

"Your father would be proud of you." Mom said surprising me again.

"Sure about that?" I asked grinning.

"Of course I am sure. Who do you think you're talking to, you cheeky brat?" Mom snapped and my grin widened.

"Love you too, Mom. Now let me go check on Mikan." I said leaving the room. I could see the slightly sad look on my mother's face, but there was nothing I could do about it.

* * *

To my horror, I found Mikan standing outside the door. There were tears in her eyes.

"Mikan.." I said reaching for her but she slapped my hand away.

"Baka! idiot! If you are bad then how can I be good? How can be different from you?" she said, tears glittering on her lashes. I reached forward again and this time she let me. I wiped he tears away and took her hand, walking back to our rooms. She wasn't done with me though.

"What was that, "if thats what she wants"?" Mikan said, her eyes filling again. "How can i ever leave you? Damn you! how can you have no confidence in me?" she snapped angrily.

We were at her room. I sighed, and before she could yell at me more, I hugged her. Gently though since I had to keep her injuries in mind. Her arms wrapped around me tightly, and I could feel her thudding heart.

"Who's the baka now?" I asked softly and she punched my shoulder before walking into her room. I followed as she expected me to.

She sat down on the bed and I knelt in front of her. To my surprise, she took my face in her hands.

"You're not bad, not scary. Nothing like that, and if you are, then so am I. I am the same as you. I'll always be the same as you, and I'll always be with you. Damn straight you can always protect me, and I swear to god if you ever push me away again, I'll.." I stopped her earnest words with a hand on her lips.

"I won't leave you. Ever." I said softly, and her tears spilled.

"Idiot." I murmured as I moved up next to her and she slipped into my arms crying like a kid. _How could I ever leave her alone? _

I held her close, long after she had stopped crying, long after she fell asleep, her head resting in my lap, as she lay across the bed. I leaned back, thinking. My mother was trying to come to grips with the person that I had become. Mostly she was fine, but when things suddenly showed her how much I had changed, I know it bothered her. At the end of the day, I knew she loved me, and even if she did not understand me, she would accept me. But she would never try and be like me.

Mikan would. If she ever found out that I felt that I had done something wrong, her first reaction was to go do it herself. So I would not be alone when trouble came.

I knew it coz I had seen her do it. Numerous times. Today she had just said what I already knew. I just had never thought that hearing these words would make me so happy. I slipped lower into the bed, pulling her next to me so that her head rested on my shoulder. I had no idea when I too fell asleep.


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

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**Author Note: I am really sorry I was not able to reply to all the reviews :( I am just going to be super busy for the rest of the week so wanted to post this asap. I get to attend a wedding now :D yay! but thats after I give an exam on the 24 th *sighs* **

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* * *

**Mikan's POV: **

"Do I really have to go to class?" I whined, as Natsume parked the car at university.

"You have a lab that you can't miss, and you know it." he said exasperated. I opened my mouth to argue some more only to realize that there were strain lines around his eyes. Yes my back was hurting like hell, but it was killing him just as much.

"Fine, whatever. I'll see you later." I said getting out of the car. He waved goodbye before pulling out. I started walking to my class. I'd be fine, I assured myself. It was just a few hrs. worth of classes anyways. How annoying could it be.

Two classes had me cursing under my breath to the amusement of Kia and Chitose.

"Will the two of you stop smirking?"I snapped, and they laughed. _For heaven's sake. _I left the two of them and went to sit somewhere in peace until my lab started.

"Mikan?" someone called and I turned to see Tsubasa Sempai. I gave him a smile that I was sure seemed strained.

"Are you okay?" he asked concerned. I guess my posture was a dead give away that i was hurting.

"I.. uh.. had an accident, so my back's kinda messed up." I answered.

"I'm sorry. Anything I can do to help?" he asked sweetly, and I felt some of my black mood drain away.

"Nah.. its cuts, and no one can make them heal any faster." I said, then since I could not help it, I grumbled "stupid Natsume" under my breath.

"Did he do this to you?" Sempai asked me looking stunned.

"Of course not!" I exclaimed shocked. "He would never hurt me." then because he still did not look convinced, I added, "I am just grouchy because he made me come here today. I wanted to stay at home."

"If you say so." he said dubiously, then with a "get well soon" he headed off. I shrugged, winced, and then made my way to my lab.

* * *

**Tsubasa's POV: **

I was worried about Mikan. I know that she was dating Natsume, and NOT me, but I was still her friend and it did matter if she was being treated right. I did not want her to be in an abusive relationship. From what I had seen of Natsume, he seemed protective, rather than abusive, but I could not leave it to chance. I needed to find out more.

I made a call to one of my oldest friends, Misaki Harada. Her dad was the Chief of Police, and if anyone could find out what was going on, she could. I was going to owe her for this but that was okay. We had been friends for far too long for it to really matter.

Two hours later she called me back.

"I don't know why you wanted to know about the Hyuuga's, but you could not have chosen a more private family to investigate. Anyways, the main family is Toushrou Hyuuga and his grandson Natsume Hyuuga. Recently, Natsume's mother came out of a coma, and so Kimiko Hyuuga is also a part of the family. Other than that, Toushrou has a nephew who lives with them, Narumi Anjo, and another right hand man, Misaki. Narumi is the most social out of everyone there." Misaki explained.

"What about Mikan?" I asked, and I heard her sigh.

"See thats the problem. Some 6 or so years back, Natsume's parents had an accident. His father passed away and his mother was left in a coma. In that accident, a couple by the name of Nogi also died. Their son, Ruka Nogi also lives with the Hyuuga's and is said to be Natsume's best friend. But in all this there is no mention of any Sakura. The best I can give you is that she is an orphan they took in for one reason or the other." Misaki told me, and I frowned.

"No information anywhere about her?" I asked surprised.

"Nopes. It seems there was a kidnapping attempt on her once, and after that, unless you actually knew them, you'd never be able to trace it that Mikan was related to them in anyway. I think its mostly for her own security." she told me.

"Thanks. I owe you for this." I said smiling slightly.

"Come over sometime so I can get you to try my cooking and we'll call it quits." she said laughing and my grin widened.

"Sure thing. Later!" I hung up, my thoughts even more mixed than before. It would seem that the Hyuuga's did care for Mikan, but was she with them, with Natsume, because she wanted to be? or out of some messed up sense of obligation?

I was at the end of my rope of who to ask. Then I remembered her. Even though she was a snake, she knew all the gossip about everyone. As long as I was able to tell when she was lying, Luna Koizumi would be able to give me all the information I needed.

* * *

**Natsume's POV: **

I picked up a cranky Mikan from university. Her back was hurting and she seemed annoyed at everything.

"Do we really look like we're dating?" she asked me suddenly. I nearly choked.

"Where did that come from?" I asked her.

"I think Sempai thinks I am dating you. Not that I mind, I mean that totally will keep him from trying to hit on me, but still.. and it was so easy to make people think we were dating at that dumb party too." Mikan said pouting.

"Lemme get this straight, you're annoyed coz people think that?" I asked somewhat affronted.

"Well no. Honestly, what annoyed me was that he thought that you were an abusive boyfriend." she said scowling.

_Now_ I was shocked. "What sort of a conversation were you two having?"

"See? You're annoyed too. How could anyone think that you'd ever hurt me? Jeez." she crossed her arms in annoyance, winced and then uncrossed them.

"How's your back?" I had to ask.

Mikan gave me a wry smile. "Same as this morning, now will you please step on it so I can go home and crash?"

I did as she wanted. True to her word, she went straight to bed as soon as we got home.

Something was bothering me though. I went to my office in the mansion trying to sort out my thoughts.

Andou had wondered if I was an abusive boyfriend.. and the idea was laughable, but.. would I be able to know if her real boyfriend (whenever she got one) was abusive or not? Would I notice it soon enough to end it? Would she let me end her relationship? Would she even let me interfere?

I rubbed my eyes as vague images flickered through my mind. Every one of them was different, and yet they were all the same, in each Mikan was hurt. How could I ever entrust her happiness to someone else? Even if she chose the guy, would I be able to sit back, and not interfere every time something went wrong?

Every relationship had its ups and downs, and no one on the outside could ever truly understand them, and I knew that very well, but would I be able to stop myself?

I thought of her being with another guy, and my chest constricted in pain.

I felt my heart still and horror run through my veins as I realized what was really wrong with this picture. _Me. _

* * *

**Ruka's POV: **

"Natsume I need you to.." I entered Natsume's office, already talking but then I stopped mid-sentence, as I took in his expression. I closed the door behind me.

"Whats wrong?" I asked obviously worried. He just stared, scaring me even more.

"Damnit Speak! You look like you saw a frikkin ghost!" I snapped, jolting him out of his thoughts.

"Its me." he said still horrified, like that explained everything.

I actually knelt in front of him. "Dude, you're creeping me out. If you value my sanity even a tiny bit, then please tell me whats going on." I pleaded.

"I.. Mikan.. she was talking about someone thinking that we're dating, and me being abusive. When I.. when I thought about it, I can't see it, Ruka. Forget seeing her with someone who might hurt her, I can't see her with anyone at all. I couldn't see me not interfering, I couldn't see me letting her relationship grow.. no matter who it was with." he said, his eyes tortured.

"Grandfather was right, I am not good for her. I am so not good for her. If I am here, she would never be able to live her life." he whispered.

"Thats not it though." I said, thanking Hotaru in my mind for telling me a long time ago.

"No. Thats not it." he said, his voice choked.

"Anyone can fall in love." I said gently, and his head snapped up, looking straight in my eyes.

"I was supposed to care for her not.." he stopped, and looked away.

"Not what Natsume? Did you ever hurt her? Did you ever even think wrong for her? She is not a kid anymore, and she's not your kid sister. She never was, and you know it. Stop feeling guilty over something thats not wrong." I snapped, and he stared at me.

"Somehow it would have made more sense if you had punched me." he told me with a ghost of a grin.

I shook my head. "Honestly I would have gone under shock, if not for Hotaru." I told him and he raised an eyebrow.

"According to her, both of you are in love with each other, and neither of you realized it. Since she told me this a long time ago, I've had time to get used to the idea." I said with a shrug.

"Mikan can't be in love with me." he told me with conviction.

"Bullshit! Would you have ever thought you'd fall for her?" I retorted and I saw confusion flash through his expression before it became blank.

"Natsume, if she ever told you she was in love with someone else, would you ruin her relationship on purpose?" I asked him earnestly. He thought about it, and then shook his head.

"Will you tell her how you feel?" I asked, and he shook his head again, this time without any thinking at all.

"Then nothing's changed as far as she's concerned. So let it be and stop feeling guilty. Its called 'falling in love' not 'jumping in love'. It just happens. If she falls for you, I am sure she'll tell you, or me, eventually. Then you can decide what you wanna do. If she doesn't then things aren't so bad as they are, are they?" I asked him and this time he gave me a real smile.

"Hotaru made a man out of you." he remarked and I punched him lightly on the shoulder as I got up.

"Get over it already. Nothing's changed for you." I said as I sat on the couch next to him.

"Uh huh." he said with an unconvinced shrug.

We both jumped as someone knocked on the door, and then chuckled. "Come in." I called and a maid entered telling us that Grandfather wanted to see us.

"Tell him we'll be right there." Natsume told her, then he stood up and extended his hand to me. I took it and he pulled me to my feet.

"You're right, it doesn't make much difference. Its her feelings that matter. Now lets not keep Grandfather waiting." Natsume said with one of his usual smirks.

I chuckled and followed him out of the room.


	35. Chapter 35

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**Author Note: Thanks a lot for all the reviews and I am sorry it took me so long to add Thanks in. But I'm sure you all appreciated getting the update earlier :) Uncle's wedding is now over.. LOTS of fun.. n now i am back to being a student *sigh* **

**On the bright side, I will again be updating regularly :D **

* * *

**Natsume's POV: **

I was almost asleep when there was a light knock on my door, and Mikan poked her head in.

"Can I come over?" she asked.

"Sure." I answered and she walked in, closing the door behind her.

She sat down on the bed, looking edgy.

"Whats wrong?" I asked, knowing that something was bothering her.

"Do scars bother you?" she asked.

"No. Why?" I asked again, and she turned away from me, and pulled her shirt up. The cuts from the cactus spines had healed but her back was marred all over with pink scars. I traced one of them with a finger lightly, and she shivered. I scowled.

"You're cold." I told her tugging her shirt down, and then pulling her close and under the blankets. She stared at me with wide eyes.

"They look horrible." she said softly, lying on her back in the bed now, under my comforter.

"They don't look horrible. They just look like scars, and they'll heal even more, until there's hardly a mark left." I told her, but she still looked downcast.

"You know what? Once they're completely healed, then you can get rid of whatever remains by surgery. I promise I'll get you the best plastic surgeon ever." I told her and she smiled slightly.

"Is there anything you would not do, to make me happy?" she asked.

"Not that I know of." I answered, but somehow I knew that my answer did not make her happy.

"Whats bothering you, Mikan?" I asked seriously.

"I dunno. I'm tired, and I put on a backless shirt, and my back looked horrible, and so I did not even want to go out anymore." she raised her eyes to mine, "For some reason I am scared Natsume. No, not just scared, also insecure. I don't like it." she whispered.

I cupped her cheek, and kissed her forehead.

"Lets go to Grandfather's beach house. You can get a tan on your back there, and then maybe you'll like it better. Also if we change spots, maybe you'll stop feeling weird." I suggested.

"Like a family thing?" she asked hopefully. I smiled.

"Like a family thing. I am sure Ruka would be happy to be able to spend a weekend on the beach with Hotaru." I said and she giggled.

"Here, lets make plans right now." and I grabbed my phone and called Ruka. He agreed to the plan immediately, and hung up on me to call Hotaru. Next I called Mom, and she too agreed, but only after telling me off for calling her rather than just visiting her in her room. Next was Narumi. He agreed right off the bat and took up the job of asking Misaki and Grandfather.

"That takes care of that." I told Mikan with a grin, and she chuckled.

"You're amazing." she said happily smiling for the first time tonight.

* * *

**Normal POV: **

Mikan was lying face down on a towel on the private beach owned by the Hyuuga's. She intended to get a good tan out of this trip. Natsume sat down in the sand next to her. Ruka and Hotaru were still inside the house, while Narumi and Kimiko were swimming. Misaki was sitting much closer to the water than these two.

"How's the back?" Natsume asked.

"Toasty." Mikan replied, turning her face towards him.

Natsume chuckled. "So did the family vacation make you feel better?" he asked.

"Kinda. Something was really wrong there. I felt like I was being watched the entire time I was there. At university, when I went out, and even at home. The feeling was so strong, it was suffocating." she said with a slight shudder. Natsume scowled.

"You should've told me earlier." he said, and Mikan rolled her eyes.

"How could anyone be watching me at the mansion? It had to be my paranoia." Mikan said sagely. Natsume sighed.

"Right, but still please tell me such things." he said and Mikan nodded. Natsume was glad that she thought of the Mansion as absolutely safe, but he did not believe in anything blindly. He was going to run a check on the staff as soon as possible, and spend as much time as possible with Mikan, so that he was there if anything did happen.

* * *

**Natsume's POV: **

That night, I was almost asleep when Mikan knocked on his door.

"Whats up?" I asked her sitting up.

"Can we go watch the stars from near the bonfire?" she asked.

"We were at the bonfire for like an hour already." I said surprised and her face fell.

I got out of bed, and pulled on a hoodie and threw another one to her. "Lets go."

She smiled as she pulled my hoodie on, then tucked her hand in mine as we walked out. We sat for a while near the dying embers of our bonfire from before.

"Why do you do it?" I asked her. Mikan looked at me curiously.

"Try out these random things that you think a family should do?" I explained my question. She smiled sadly, and snuggled closer to my side. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders.

"I dunno who it was, or even when it was, but I remember someone saying that mine was the perfect family. So I keep thinking that if I do things like this, that a perfect family is supposed to do, then I might remember them. My parents that is. Right now if I try to remember them, all I can remember is the accident. I can see how Papa lost control of the car, and we went flying off the highway. I can see the trees looming ahead, huge. I can feel the impact in my bones, and then the glass, as I crashed through it, and went flying out of the car. I remember hearing a lot of screams, and I always hoped that they were mine. Only mine. Because if my parents were still alive after the impact, then they burned alive in that car, Natsume. I watched them burn, and I still pray that they were dead before the fire started." she was whispering at the end, her body shaking.

I pulled her onto my lap, and hugged her tightly. Her arms went around my waist, her head resting on my shoulder.

"If I do a lot of these things then maybe I'd be able to look past this, and remember something else." she said softly.

I wiped away the single tear that had slid down her cheek, and then stroked her hair.

"We'll do as many things as you want." I told her and she smiled faintly, and then kissed my palm.

"What would I do without you?" she murmured as she snuggled closer to me.

"You'll never find out." I said dropping another kiss on her forehead.

She fell asleep like that eventually and I carried her in. I could not leave her alone, and so I tucked her into my bed and crashed on the couch.

* * *

**Mikan's POV: **

I woke up feeling happy. I blinked a few times and looked around my room to realize that I was sleeping in Natsume's room and he was asleep on the couch. I know this bed is smaller than the ones we have at the Mansion, but.. I am sure we could have managed just fine. I shrugged. Somedays, I just don't get him.

He looked so sweet when he was asleep though.

I got out of bed and grabbed a marker. Just as I was about to draw on his face, he woke up. I hid the marker, but I wasn't sure if he had seen it or not.

"You really don't want to start that with someone who wakes you up as many times as I do." he said coolly as he sat up. _Oops. _

"Well good thing nothing got started then." I said putting away the marker and my hopes of ever drawing a mustache on him.

He chuckled at my forlorn tone.

"Off to your room now." he said shooing me out. I stuck my tongue out at him before leaving.

All that day, we had a lot of fun. Ruka and I built a huge sandcastle, and Aunt Kimiko beat Uncle Narumi in a swimming competition. I don't think he'll ever live it down. By the time we had had dinner, we were all so exhausted that we all went straight to bed.

I don't know what woke me up, but something did. I stayed still, not moving a muscle as I listened closely. Someone was in my room. I was sure of it. There were a lot of things to do, but one would be the most effective.

I pulled all the air I could into my lungs, and screamed "NATSUME!"


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

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**Author Note: I am sorry.. this is the second chapter where i have not replied to reviews.. I promise i'll try and do better.. things are just too hectic right now :( anyways.. i had to update asap as I value my life too much to leave everyone hanging on a cliffie :) **

**Thanks for reading and please REVIEW! **

* * *

"Mikan! You okay?" Natsume yelled bursting into her room.

"Intruder! He just jumped out the window!" Mikan snapped. Natsume ran through the room and was out the window in an instant, and Ruka was right behind him. Hotaru turned on the lights in the room and sat next to Mikan.

"You okay?" Hotaru asked, her voice betraying her concern.

"Yeah." Mikan answered though she was shaking. Since everyone else's rooms were on another floor, they hadn't heard Mikan's scream, and were probably still sleeping. After about 10 minutes, Natsume and Ruka returned.

"We didn't find anyone." Natsume said angrily.

"We'll find out whats going on for sure, Mikan." Ruka said patting her head, though he was just as furious as Natsume.

Mikan nodded. "C'mon, lets get some sleep." Natsume said as he pulled Mikan to her feet. He wrapped an arm around her and took her to his room. Ruka and Hotrau also left.

Mikan sat on the couch in Natsume's room, her teeth chattering. Natsume scowled.

"You're going into shock. Get under the blankets, and try to get some sleep." he ordered.

"I'll sleep on the couch." Mikan said.

"What the heck?" Natsume snapped.

"You'll sleep here otherwise, like last night. I'm smaller." she answered, hugging herself.

For a long moment Natsume just stared, but then he picked her up and carried her to the bed, and then dumped her on it. Mikan glared at him.

"Cheeky brat, move over, or there will be no room for me." he said with a ghost of a grin.

Mikan instantly cheered up and scuttled to the side. Natsume slid under the blankets and then allowed her to snuggle close. She was cold as ice. He took her hands in his, rubbing them to warm them up.

"Natsume.. I.." Mikan started but she could not say it.

"What is it?" Natsume asked softly, but she shook her head.

"Will you please stay with me?" she whispered.

"Of course I will. My home is where you are, Mikan." Natsume answered and to his horror tears filled her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked, really worried, but she just cried all the more, as she hugged him tightly.

Natsume tried to calm her down but nothing worked. When finally she stopped crying, he wiped all the tears away.

"So what brought that on?" he asked, lightly kissing her forehead.

Mikan just shook her head. "You won't get it." she said, snuggling closer to him. Natsume said nothing as he held her close, and he kept watching as she eventually fell asleep. He did not know who had broken in today, and what they wanted, but they had ruined Mikan's perfect family weekend, and they had made her cry. Now Natsume fully intended to make them cry and beg for forgiveness.

* * *

**Monday Morning: **

"So why is Ruka sempai attending college with us again?" Kia asked amused at the number of girls swooning over Ruka.

"Security. Since Ruka never attended this University, and it gives him more chance to be with Hotaru, he volunteered." Mikan answered shrugging.

"I remember something similar happening in school once." Chitose said with a smirk.

"And I remember Mikan storming out, mad at the teacher coz she was flirting with Natsume and I." Ruka said with another smirk as he joined the conversation.

"Sempai, you were in Norway for a while right?" Kia asked him, and he nodded.

"Are guys there any better than the ones here?" she asked.

Ruka chuckled. "Can't say Kia. I was too busy looking at the girls."

They all burst out laughing. "Is that so?" Hotaru asked from behind them and they all turned. Ruka's face blanched.

Hotaru just gave him a light pat on the shoulder. "Its okay, you hadn't met me yet after all." she said lightly and he let out a huge sigh of relief. All the girls laughed.

Ruka's phone buzzed. He excused himself to talk to Natsume.

"I've identified quite a few moles. There is a receptionist in Hyuuga Corp., one of the maids, and two gardeners at the mansion, and I am sure there are two more somewhere." Natsume said without preamble.

"But who is behind them?" Ruka asked, scowling.

"Not completely sure yet. Need some more time. Everything is okay there?" - Natsume

"Yeah. All good." Ruka replied, and then with a small good bye Natsume hung up. Ruka's eyes lingered on Mikan. Even though she hadn't shown it, she had been scared that night. Targeting her, someone had a death wish. Ruka and Natsume intended to fulfill that wish of theirs.

* * *

**2 Days Later: **

"So what do we have so far?" Narumi asked as they all sat together for a meeting.

"One of the receptionists on the ground floor, two maids and two gardeners at the Mansion, one of the valets and one manager at Hyuuga Corp." Natsume summarized.

"How in hell did we manage to get so many moles inspite of all the security checks?" Ruka snapped angrily.

Natsume leaned back in his chair. He hadn't slept more than four hours since Sunday night, and was too exhausted to have any emotions.

"The 'how' we can worry about later. What we need to know first is the 'who'. The person who turned them all into moles is the one we need to deal with." Misaki said quietly.

"Koizumi. They're the ones behind it." Natsume said in a tired voice.

"How'd you figure that one out?" Toushoru asked.

Natsume handed him a file. "Fell free to read, I am too tired to explain all that mess. But we know who we're up against. Only thing that remains is what we do about it." he said coldly.

Toushrou nodded. "Go home and rest for now. I want all of you here tomorrow morning. Honestly, why can't people just leave my family alone?" he said with a sigh. They left but none of them was fooled. Sigh or no sigh, when the time came, Toushrou Hyuuga would not be showing any mercy.

* * *

Natsume fell back on his bed fully clothed. He was so exhausted yet his brain refused to turn off. It was already midnight when they had all gotten home from Hyuuga Corp. but he still could not turn his stupid brain off. Finally he stood up, his whole body protesting at the effort and took off his jacket, tie and shoes. He silently padded out of his room, opening the buttons of his shirt. He entered Mikan's room quietly. The lights were off and she seemed to be sleeping soundly. Natsume relaxed a bit. Then he just walked forward and collapsed on the bed next to her, on top of the blankets. He was asleep in no time at all.

* * *

Mikan woke up when the alarm on her phone went off. She grabbed for it blindly and shut it off. Then she blinked several times before looking around. Natsume was sound asleep next to her. He was still wearing formal pants and shirt, though it was half open, and he seemed to have fallen asleep as soon as he landed on the bed. Without thinking Mikan reached forward and stroked his cheek. She knew how hard he had been working these past few days, because of her.

Her hand slipped lower, stroking his neck, and before she knew it, she had come really close to him. She stared at his face, her heart pounding, and she felt tears fill her eyes again. He was hers, but at the same time, he would never really be hers. She would always be a brat to him. No matter what she did.

Impulsively she reached up and kissed his lips lightly. Hers. At least right now, he was just hers.

She got out of bed, as the stupid tears slid down her cheeks and went to take a shower.

Natsume opened his eyes. He thought Mikan had just kissed him awake. He could hear the shower running now. He wanted to bang his his head on the wall. What sort of an idiot was he to have such fantasies. The poor girl was not even in the room and yet here he was.. Natsume turned and buried his head in the pillow. Ugh. He really was a completely lost cause.


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

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* * *

**Author Note: So here is another chapter of Shalom. This is the beginning of the end of Shalom, but it might still take a while. Okay, it probably will take a while. So this chapter also has a cliffie-ish ending, but I am sure i'll be forgiven, once you guys read it. It moves the story forward by quite a bit. oh and I will try to update really soon. Now that I have the image in my head, i have to write :)**

**oh and I have a question about what to do with the story, but I can only ask that after next chapter. So wait for that and do gimme your opinion :) **

* * *

**Mikan's POV: **

"Mikan, can I talk to you for a second?" Tsubasa sempai asked me, appearing in front of me totally out of the blue. I scowled but nodded. Ruka had dropped me off, but he had to go to Hyuuga Corp. to attend the meeting grandfather had called. Even Kia and Chitose were not here yet. Then I gave myself a mental shake. This was my sempai. I should not be so paranoid.

"Where are you leading me?" I asked.

"My car. I can talk better when I'm driving. Don't worry, I'll drop you back asap." he answered confidently. I felt unease settle in my stomach, but maybe I was just over reacting. I still unlocked my phone and kept it in my hand.

We sat in his car, and pulled out of the university.

"Mikan, what are the Hyuuga's to you?" Sempai asked softly.

"My family." I answered without hesitation.

"Is it true that they took you in after your parents passed away?" -Tsubasa

"Yes." I answered again.

"Is that why you're with Natsume? Out of obligation for everything his family has done for you? Is it your way of repaying your debt? Are you with him because they expect you to be?" Tsubasa asked through gritted teeth. I knew I was in deep shit now. I pressed #1 on my phone to speed dial Natsume.

"I am with him because I want to be. If you knew him, you would know that he would never make me do anything against my will." I answered calmly. My phone's screen was turned down in my lap, and I lifted it slightly to see that Natsume had picked up.

"Where are you taking me Tsubasa-sempai? This is not an idle, 'I want to talk to you' drive is it?" I asked coldly.

"I am not really taking you anywhere. I am letting you go." he answered, and I felt my panic rise.

"I don't want to go anywhere, I am happy where I am." I said trying hard to keep my voice steady.

"You're nothing but his plaything, his toy. The Hyuuga's are rich, and I understand that you feel gratitude towards them, but this is your life Mikan. I want you to be able to live it how you want. I have made arrangements for you to leave this country, and start a new life. I understand that you don't love me, and thats okay. I just want you to be happy. Natsume will never be able to find you again, and you'd be able to live as you want, free from all obligations." Tsubasa explained in the most reasonable voice.

"Stop the car." I said in an icy voice.

"No. You'll thank me for this someday." Tsubasa said steadily.

"I will not leave Natsume." I told him.

"You are leaving and he will never find you again. Once you're out from under his thumb, you can live your own life." Tsubasa said again and i wanted to kill him.

"He will find me. He will always find me, no matter where you take me." I said confidently.

"Why? I am sure he does care for you, but probably only until he finds a new toy. His family took you in, but it really does not reflect much on him." Tsubasa said coolly.

"Natsume raised me! Not some goddamn family you keep mentioning!" Mikan yelled angrily.

"Then why were you in boarding school Mikan?" Tsubasa retorted, his voice still level.

"I was there because of the so called family. Not him. He tried everything he could to keep me from going there. He will find me, and I swear sempai, he will never forgive you for this, and neither will I." I said with all the anger I could manage to squeeze past the panic in my heart.

"Will you listen to yourself? You say all these things, yet not once have you said what you feel for him. You can't can you? All you feel is obligation. Don't worry.." he started again.

"THATS NOT IT!" I screamed. "Damn you Sempai, lemme go. I can't be without him again." I said almost sobbing.

"What do you feel for him Mikan?" Tsubasa asked quietly, as he stopped the car.

"I love him. Damn you, I am in love with him, and I love him more than anything in the world." I looked straight into his eyes, and all the panic was gone now.

"I will find him again, just like he'll find me." I said softly.

Tsubasa Sempai actually smiled. "He's already found you." he said just as two cars screeched onto the road, and then parked themselves at insane angles in the front and back of the car that we were in.

I looked at Sempai wide eyed.

"You two looked like you needed a little push." he shrugged. "I had made the arrangements and if it had turned out that you really were in this out of some sense of duty, I would have gotten you out of here. But you're not, so thats all unnecessary." he explained with a light smile.

I stared at him, and then punched him as hard as I could. I could see Ruka getting out of the car in front of me, and just then Natsume yanked my car door open. I scrambled out, but i could not look him in the eye. He had heard my confession, since my phone had been on the entire time. He had heard every word that I had said. Natsume did not look at me either. He just pushed me towards Ruka.

"Take her home." he said coldly and I felt fear curl in my heart.

Ruka hugged me tightly, but then he quickly took me to his car and bundled me into the seat. I could not say anything, do anything but try not to cry. Why had my life suddenly gone so wrong?

* * *

**One Hour Ago: **

Natsume's phone rang in the middle of Toushrou's talk. He glanced at the screen about to shut it off only to realize who it was. He answered the call, ignoring his grandfathwr's glare and motioned for all of them to stay silent.

**Natsume's POV: **

_"I am with him because I want to be. If you knew him, you would know that he would never make me do anything against my will." Mikan was saying calmly._ I swore silently. She was letting me hear her conversation with someone else, so she was in deep shit. I turned my phone on speaker and signaled uka to turn on the tracker that Mikan had on her. It was so we could locate her if anything happened. She knew about it, so no doubt this was her way of warning me.

I connected Ruka's phone with mine on a conference call so he could hear the conversation in that car too as we ran to our cars. The GPS in our cars was giving her location loud and clear, an we drove as if the hounds of hell themselves were chasing us.

_"Natsume raised me! Not some goddamn family you keep mentioning!" Mikan yelled angrily,_ and I smiled slightly. Attagirl! She'd never let anyone get the better of her. We were getting closer now.

_"Will you listen to yourself? You say all these things, yet not once have you said what you feel for him. You can't can you? All you feel is obligation. Don't worry.." Andou was saying. _

_"THATS NOT IT!" Mikan screamed. "Damn you Sempai, lemme go. I can't be without him again." Mikan was close to tears now,_ i knew it. I was so going to kill Andou for this.

_"What do you feel for him Mikan?" Andou said,_ quietly this time.

_"I love him. Damn you, I am in love with him, and I love him more than anything in the world. I will find him again, just like he'll find me." Mikan said softly_ and I felt my eyes widen. Had she just truly said that?

_"He's already found you."_ Andou said and I could hear the smile in his voice as surely as I could see their car in the distance.

My car screeched to a halt right behind theirs and I got out, and made my way to the passenger side door, and yanked it open. There she was, afraid to even look at me. I got her out of the car and gave her to Ruka. I was too angry, and if I spoke to her now, I would screw it up. She would probably think I was saying whatever I said, just to make her feel better. I needed a cool head to do this, and first I needed to deal with Andou bastard.

* * *

**Normal POV: **

"Mad as all hell huh?" Tsubasa asked Natsume as he got out of the car.

"There were better ways to do what you did." Natsume said coldly.

"Yes, but I was serious. If it turned out that she was not happy here, I would have made sure she got a new life. I started out dating her, but she is like a younger sisiter to me in the end, and I can't really see her sad. I even endured Koizumi Luna to pull this off, so you better be grateful." Tsubasa said with a smirk.

"What about Koizumi?" Natsume snapped.

"She thinks that I am helping her get Mikan out of the picture coz I want to be with her and she wants to be with you." he shrugged.

"You son of a.." Natsume started but Tsubasa cut him off.

"Get over it. Whatever damage I did will be fixed when she finds out you love her, right? Also I just told you about your stalker (Luna) problem, so you're all set. I'll take your silence as gratitude." Tsubasa said as he slid back into his car. He peered at Natsume from the open window.

"Besides, Mikan already punched me." he told Natsume before driving off.

Natsume stared after him then sighed. In a way he was grateful, but he'd never tell Andou that.

* * *

**Ruka's POV: **

No matter how hard I tired, Mikan would not talk to me as I drove home. I scowled. There was only one more thing left to say to her.

"Natsume loves you too you know." I said and she turned to stare at me, her leashes glittering with tears.

"Not like that. Don;t get my hopes up like this Ruka. Its just cruel." she said in a choked voice.

"Would I ever be cruel to you?" I asked rhetorically before continuing. "Natsume is in love with you. He'd never admit it because what you feel comes first. He would never think of himself above you." I explained but she was looking out the window again.

"If he did not love you, he would have hugged you as soon as he got you out of that car, and told you that he loved you, just to make you feel better. He might have even pretended that your feelings were platonic, to make it easier on you, but he would never have ignored you. Ever." I said and she turned to face me again. She knew I was right.

"He loves you, and the only reason he ignored you is because he knew that if he told you that right there and then, you might never have truly believed him." I explained. How I understood everything he did, I had no idea, but I did. He had trusted me with Mikan, not just to get her home, but also to get her to possibly understand, and I was not going to fail him.

"If I believe you, how long have you known this? Known his feelings?" Mikan asked me.

"From the day he realized them. I was lucky enough to enter his office at the right time. It was the day you went to college after falling on the cacti." I answered. I could see I was convincing her. Actual facts, made any story more believable, and this one was true after all.

"Y'know what Mikan, I have a way for you to know for sure." I said and explained my idea to her. She stared at me open mouthed.

"If it doesn't work, you're in the same position you're in right now. Why not give it a try? It all depends how much courage and faith you have." I said sagely. She gave me a slight nod before turning away again. I felt the tension leave my body. I had done all I could, now it all came down to Natsume. That idiot had better not mess this up.


	38. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

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**Author Note: Okay so here is a small 'rant' for you guys. Its not really a rant coz i m not mad at anyone, not one bit, but I could not remember any other word. Anyways... First off, thanks for all the reviews. I did not give individual replies (i m terrible, i know) but most of the replies are gonna be right here. **

**Yes, I love Tsubasa, and so of course he had to be a great guy ! I had this planned right from the beginning and I am so happy that no one saw it coming. **

**I know this chapter is kinda tiny, but well.. everyone wanted an update, and I wanted to give them one. So here it is. This leaves a lot of loose ends, that I initially wanted to fix in this chapter, but they'll be fixed in the next chapter now *shrug* I hope no one minds :) **

**I am going to end Shalom as soon as I am done tying everything together. So one, or maybe two more chapters. BUT I am thinking about a sequel. Its gonna be at least a few chapters, though I don't have the entire plot yet. Its just.. Shalom is too long, and the stuff I have in mind is too good to not write, and well... so I need to have a sequel for it. Do you guys think a sequel would be a good idea? Even if it ends up being a long epilogue, though I'll try my best to come up with a good plot?**

**well I wanted to talk more, but I'll let you go ahead and read the chappie ;) **

* * *

**Normal POV:**

Natsume drove to the mansion, trying to figure out what to say to Mikan, and wondering how much Ruka had already told her.

He was scowling as he ran inside the mansion, and headed straight to her room.

"She's not here." Ruka said from behind him.

Natsume turned on his heel. "Where is she?" he snapped.

"You were the genius who pushed her away. Did you really expect her to wait here for you to come home?" Ruka said coldly, and Natsume felt dread settle in him.

"Where is she Ruka?" he asked in a dangerous voice.

Ruka smirked. "Temper temper. Go to the outhouse." he told Natsume before walking past him on his way upstairs.

Natsume fought the desire to punch the smirk off his best friend's face and instead ran all the way to the outhouse. It was a small cottage out in the mansion grounds. He entered it running and skidded to a stop. He looked around, but Mikan was not visible. He searched through the entire ground floor and then was now looking through the first floor. That was when he caught sight of her, out of a window. Mikan was standing on the back porch of the cottage, her back towards him, facing the small pond that was there.

He ran downstairs, but stopped after he stepped out on the porch. His heart was hammering and he knew it had nothing to do with how far he had run.

"Did you mean what you said?" Natsume asked her, but she did not move, did not reply.

"Are you really in love with me Mikan? Please tell me honestly." he asked again, walking forwards until he was standing only one step behind her. Mikan whirled around in one fluid motion, reached out, yanked his face towards her and kissed him.

Natsume had never been so stunned in his life.

He stayed still as she kissed him but when she finally tried to step back his arms went around her waist and he held her in place.

"I'll take that as a yes." he said a brilliant smile slowly blooming on his face. Mikan tried to get away but his grip tightened and he raised one hand to the back of her neck.

"I also fell in love with you." he said right before he kissed her. This time it was Mikan who became absolutely still, just as stunned as he had been, but only for a moment, then her hands crept around his neck, pulling him close, and she was kissing him back. Her knees went weak and he was the only thing holding her up, and yet neither of them could stop.

When they finally parted, Natsume lightly kissed her forehead. He was still supporting most of her weight, cradling her like a doll against his chest.

Tears filled her eyes, and she saw worry creep into his. Without thinking she hugged him tightly, as the tears came.

"Why're you crying?" he asked panicking.

"I never thought.. I never thought you'd ever.." she said and then held him all the more tighter unable to say anything more. She did not really need to. He got her half seated on the porch railing, then lightly kissed her eyelids, and hugged her again. "I never thought so either." he said softly. Mikan looked up, he cocked a grin, and said "It was the most annoying thing ever."

Mikan chuckled, and Natsume picked her up, and carried her in. They sat on the couch, next to each other. He cupped her cheek with his hand, wiping away a tear with his thumb.

"Mine." Natsume said and Mikan smiled brightly.

Then she raised her fingers to touch her lips, they were still tingling. "That was something else for a first kiss." she murmured, and to her astonishment, a slight blush crept up on Natsume's face.

"I should've held back." he said brushing his thumb over her lips, they looked slightly bruised.

Mikan pouted. "Uh huh, say that again and I'll beat you up, I swear. And technically that wasn't my first kiss anyways."

Natsume raised an eyebrow and Mikan fidgeted.

"Uh, well I kinda.. kissed you this morning when you were asleep in my room." she said looking down and to her surprise he burst out laughing.

Mikan glared at him, turning scarlet.

"I thought I was dreaming, and that I was a totally lost cause because of it." Natsume explained, and Mikan stared, then she was laughing too. Somehow in all that laughter, the awkwardness melted away, and Mikan found herself snuggling into Natsume. His arm was wrapped around her, while he played with her hair with the other hand.

"So you're my boyfriend now?" Mikan asked innocently.

Natsume choked, then nodded. "I guess I am. Huh.. never thought of it like that." he gave her an evil smirk. "I have a horrible track record with girlfriends. They tell me that I am horrible, and I never pay attention to them, and that all my attention is forever focussed on only one person and one person alone; this girl who lives with me."

"I'll reform you, don't you worry. After all I intend to keep you forever, so I've gotta do at least that much." Mikan answered and then with a quick grin she gave him an impulsive kiss.

"Alright then. I am all yours for reforming." Natsume said when they finally parted.

"All mine." Mikan repeated, her smile angelic.

* * *

**Natsume's POV: **

"So you and Mikan huh?" Ruka asked me amused as Mikan and I walked into the Mansion.

"Yup." I answered calmly, and Ruka grinned, raising his hand to high five me. Then he turned to Mikan.

"Did my idea work?" he asked her and she nodded and then gave him a hug.

"What idea?" I asked suspiciously.

Ruka glared at me. "None of your business Mr. who does not know how to hold back even a bit while kissing."

I just stared, and then realized what he was going on about. Well.. Mikan's lips were bruised. Mikan smacked him though.

"Keep that talk for when I am not around. I don't wanna know that you know." she said while sticking her tongue out.

Ruka raised both his eyebrows. "So I get the part of the pretend oblivious brother, while this bastard gets to be the.." he stopped as she slapped her palm on his mouth. I grinned as I saw her bright blush.

"Too soon to bug me. Harass Natsume." she snapped before striding off. We tried our hardest to not laugh until she was out of earshot, but we both still just burst out laughing. I had a feeling my 'girlfriend' would make me pay for it later, and god help me, I was looking forward to it.


	39. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer: I do not own GA or any of its characters. **

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**

* * *

**

**Author Note: Hi :) Thank you everyone for reading Shalom and I am really really glad that you all enjoyed it so much :) **

**This is the LAST chapter of Shalom, but I am gonna write a sequel so do keep an eye out for it. Since I basically suck at naming, its gonna be called Shalom 2, unless inspiration strikes me very soon. Knowing me, I should have the sequel up in around a week max. most probably. **

**A LOT OF MY THANKS to everyone who reviewed. You guys made my writing so much better :) **

**Shalom! **

**

* * *

**

**Natsume's POV: **

"So what will we do about Koizumi?" Ruka asked me.

"She's a stalker, and she is crazy enough to go after Mikan. I dunno what to do with her. Lets just tell her dad that she's lost it. He'll probably send her out of the country." Narumi suggested innocently.

I sighed. "I could get mad, but it won't help. She'll just come after Mikan even more. Not to mention most of her surveillance on Mikan was because of Andou. It worked well in the end." I could not keep the smirk away, and I saw Narumi's eyes narrow. I guess he wasn't all that thrilled about Mikan and I. No, thats not true. He would probably have had the same reaction to whoever Mikan dated. I guess I could respect him for that.

"I'll talk to her. Maybe she'll see sense then." I said and left the room. I was emotionally exhausted. Even if things had ended up well with Mikan, Ruka's little stunt had had me running all over the place, and then confessing hadn't been a walk in the park either. The reward did not negate the effort.

I started for the stairs, hoping to crash in my room for a little, but when I entered my room, Mikan was there. She looked at me nervously. I sighed again. Way to go jackass, she was now scared of me. No matter what she said after, I had been too aggressive and she hadn't even ever had a boyfriend before. (I refused to count Andou)

"Hey!" I said with a soft smile as I fell back on the bed. She stared at me from where she was sitting on the couch.

"What are you going to do to sempai?" she asked quietly.

"Huh?" Now that was unexpected.

"What will you do to him? In fact did you do anything to him before you came back home? Though your knuckles aren't bruised so probably not a lot." She asked again.

Instead of keeping my neck angled, I straightened it, staring at the ceiling instead.

"Nothing. I yelled at him because his way was too harsh, but he told me that I should just be grateful. As mush as it galls me to admit it, he only had your best interests at heart, so I didn't do anything to him. I don't plan to either." I told the ceiling.

I felt the bed dip next to me, as she sat there. "Good thing that I punched him then. It was smart to not leave it to you." She said calmly and I turned my head to stare at her.

"Yeah, he told me. I have similar feelings on the matter." I said and she smiled.

"So was it Sempai who was having me followed?" she asked.

"He somehow managed to get Koizumi Luna to help. She was the one who had you followed to that extent, and even had someone enter your room. I think she did it so that you would take Andou up on his offer to leave." I answered.

"That makes sense. What'll you do about her?" she asked and I went back to looking at the ceiling.

"There are a lot of things I want to do, but at the end of the day, I can't. I think I'll just have a talk with her."I said, tired. I really did want to pay her back, do to her what she had done to Mikan, but I would never harass a woman like that. So logically explaining that I loved Mikan and only Mikan was my best bet.

Mikan lay down next to me, her head resting on my arm. "You remember how you once said that I made you feel as if you were still good? You really are good. Not many people would give Luna a chance just like that." She said softly.

"There are a lot of people whom I never gave another chance." I told her, emotionless.

"Because they had hurt me; so doesn't that make it my fault as much as yours?" She retorted.

"You're crazy, you know that?"I asked, turning towards her. She was staring at the ceiling now.

"Nah... you just go on guilt trips a bit too easy, so someone needs to drag you back home." She grinned.

I chuckled, and then because I could not help it, I leaned down and kissed her. It was a sweet kiss, nothing crazy, and at the end of it she was smiling just as sweetly.

"See? You thought you'd scared me the first time didn't you?" she teased.

I smirked. "Not possible, I was half asleep for that one." I teased back, and Mikan giggled.

"I am never living that one down am I?" she asked with a mock sigh.

"Thats okay, I am probably never gonna live the second one down." I shrugged.

Mikan smiled and snaked an arm around my neck. "That reminds me, you and Ruka laughed when you really should not have."

"Oh that... well it was funny. Its not everyday that we see you blush." I said smirking.

"Fine then, but you had better prepare for the consequences." She said calmly.

"Which are?" I asked unafraid. Its not like she could do much that would actually bug me.

"We're gonna go clubbing every weekend, both Friday and Saturday for the next two months. If you skip even once, then you have to make up for it by going twice." She said and then laughed as I groaned.

"Don't worry, I talked to Hotaru already and Ruka and her will be joining us once a week on this." She said with an evil laugh. I chuckled too, and then sat up, making her head fall back on the bed.

"Hey!" she protested, but I ignored her and kicked my shoes off and threw my jacket and tie away as well. Then I moved onto the bed, and under the covers and patted the area next to me. Mikan smiled as she slipped in next to me and cuddled close.

"Lets leave it all for tomorrow, shall we? Good night." I said and kissed her forehead. Mikan smiled and closed her eyes. And that was how our first day as a couple came to an end.

* * *

**Mikan's POV: **

I paced Natsume's office as I waited for him. He had gone to talk to Koizumi a long while ago, and I was really losing my patience.

I whirled around as he entered, and he gave me a smile.

"Its all over." he said and laughing I hugged him, but when I started moving away, he just held me where I was.

I raised an eyebrow and Natsume smirked. "I need an extra dose of you to get her completely out of my system."

I chuckled and laid my head on his shoulder. "Whatever you want." I said and he laughed.

"Now why are you suddenly being so obedient?" he teased.

I looked up at him and grinned. "Scared?"

He rolled his eyes, "You wish." I smiled at him, and then said the words I really wanted to say.

"I have all my life with you, so we'll have time for everything. I can be obedient today, and annoying tomorrow, and something else the day after." I said shyly and I saw his eyes light up. I guess he agreed with me. Natsume kissed me then, and so I know for sure that he agrees with me completely. We do have all our lives to spend with each other.


	40. Chapter 40

Hello Guys!

Thanks a lot for all your support throughout Shalom. I honestly never thought it would end up becoming so long, or be liked this much.

It was just a small idea, that turned out to be amazing when i started detailing :)

I could not end it here, because I want to know the future of these characters as well. So as promised I started a sequel.

As I completely suck at names, its called Shalom 2, and if you'd like to read it, you can get to it through my profile. I have four chapters up so far. I just wanted to put it out there for anyone who might be interested. Honestly I dunno how good it will become, or how long it will be, but I intend to have fun while writing it coz only then my readers will have fun reading it :)

Thanks once again for letting me have so much fun with Shalom!

Ritu


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